By Hari Prasad Koirala, Urlabari, Mar. 15: Even though the number of patients is increasing in Madan Bhandari Hospital located at Urlabari—3, Mangalbare, it still does not have enough doctors and medical officers.

With the doctors increasingly taking study-leave, the hospital has been largely unattended.

While a doctor was bade farewell on Sunday, the appointed medical superintendent, Dr. Yogesh Kumar Mandal, is supposed to go to BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan very soon.

The 15-bed hospital is run by subordinates of the Urlabari Municipality.

The federal government had decided to make the hospital a provincial hospital in July, 2020. They had also decided to upgrade the then Mangalbare Hospital into a changed 50-bed Madan Bhandari Hospital and Trauma Centre. The hospital that was only a health post once is now suffering due to the lack of doctors.

The locals were elated to know that the hospital would be built by East-West Highway. The local government had already made necessary preparations for the upgrade. However, when they communicated their intent to change their name to the central government, letter-pad and signboard, the authorities showed no enthusiasm.

The appointed Medical Superintendent, Dr. Yogesh Kumar Mandal informed that the hospital observes the flow of nearly 300 patients every day. He added that they had to refer more than 50 per cent of the patients who had health insurance somewhere else.

Massive buildings were built. Necessary equipment required to run the trauma centre was installed. Technical manpower was managed. But, the hospital does not have doctors. The remaining ones do not have no alternative to referring the patients.

“Specialists are the most important necessity of any hospital. The hospital has asked both federal and provincial government to send doctors; however, all they receive is empty pledges in place of manpower,” Dr. Mandal said, “The hospital itself is sick.”

The hospital has four doctors currently, one among which was given farewell on Sunday. After Dr. Mandal leaves, the hospital shall have only two doctors: one, paediatrician, another, an anaesthesiologist.

Dr. Mandal reported that the hospital urgently needed nine health specialists including that of skin, bones, ENT, eyes, females, and heart.

A 50-bed hospital requires manpower including nine specialists, four medical officers, one dental surgeon, one physiotherapist, a nurse warden and six staff nurses.

Since the hospital is linked to the highway, a lot of road accident victims come to the hospital. However, the hospital can provide only preliminary treatment.

Dr. Mandal shared his helplessness over not being able to recruit doctors even on contract. He believes that the failure of government in opening Public Service for doctors too gave rise to the situation. Although the doctors do not want to refer patients elsewhere, they are bound to do so.