Ghorahi children’s hospital remains shut for years

By Our Correspondent Dang, June 25: A community children’s hospital, set up about a decade-and-a-half ago, has been in a state of neglect for four years now. Locals were happy after the news that a hospital was soon going to be operated in their neighbourhood made headlines. 

But that happiness didn’t last long. Established in Ghorahi Sub-Mertopolitan City, Dang, in 2009 to provide pediatric specialist services, the hospital went out of service in less than a year of its operation. After that, its building was used by the temporary police station for six years. 

The police emptied the building after it constructed its own building. Then the hospital, which was brought into operation after seven years with 10 beds, an X-ray machine and a lab, stopped providing services after less than six months. Lack of funding as well as lack of management are the factors that have been keeping the hospital completely shut for four years now.  Despite attempts to re-open it, lingering disputes in its management committee have ensured its closure.   

Built with an investment of Rs. 6.6 million in assistance of the Indian Embassy, the two-story hospital has been shut down due to financial reasons.

Established with the objective of providing health services at the local level, the hospital is now completely closed. The gate of the hospital, located on 11 Kattha of land, is now locked. It even has no signboard.

Machines and medical equipment worth millions of rupees have rusted in the hospital. The management committee said that it has no option but to close the hospital due to the lack of funds. Bhola Dangi, secretary of the hospital management committee, said that the hospital has been closed due to the lack of financial resources, despite having necessary infrastructure. 

“There is no internal resources to operate the hospital,” said Dangi, adding, “No one is ready to help from outside.” The committee has repeatedly requested province and local governments to prove some help to operate the hospital, but they all have fallen on the deaf ears, said Dangi.