Patients sleep on floors while new hospital building is empty

By Phadindra Adhikari,Lekhnath, Oct. 5: In Pahschimanchal Regional Hospital, the largest in Gandaki Province,  455,000 patients received treatment last year. Situated in the provincial capital, it functions under the Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences.

Although all hospital buildings have been retrofitted and are ready for operation, some are yet to be handed over, forcing patients to occasionally receive treatment staying or sleeping on the floor.

Managing the patient load in the emergency room, surgical, medical and ICU departments is challenging. 

Hospital Director Prof. Dr Bharat Bahadur Khatri informed that handing over the completed buildings would greatly facilitate patient care.

“We have requested the addition of 15 ICU beds, but this has not been addressed. The shortage of beds in emergency, medical and surgical services poses significant challenges, and at times, we are forced to treat patients keeping them on the floor and benches,” said Dr. Khatri.

Currently, there are only 10 ICU beds. Dr. Khatri said that 150 additional beds will be available once the completed buildings are handed over. The project to construct two new buildings, by demolishing one, and retrofitting the remaining buildings began in 2020. Bikoi Rautaha PK JV was awarded the contract at an initial cost of Rs. 540 million, which later increased to Rs. 586.69 million.

Since October last year, UKAID has withdrawn from the project. According to the Federal Project Implementation Unit Kaski, by that time, 65 per cent of the work had been completed, with 60 per cent physical progress. As of that time, Rs. 411.4 million had been paid to the construction company.

After UK Aid withdrew its support, the Federal Ministry of Health directed that the retrofitting work on buildings should continue.

Birbal Sunar, an engineer with the Federal Project Implementation Unit, stated that the committee instructed not to start work on any new buildings, but to focus on completing the retrofitting of those already in progress.

Since October last year, the construction company has not received any payments despite it continued working, with approximately Rs. 90 million still left to be paid in two phases. 

The project’s physical progress has now reached 75 per cent, and the construction company has handed over all three buildings except for the pediatric ward, pharmacy and insurance buildings.

The medical ward, pediatric ward, emergency ward, OPD block, pharmacy, and insurance block have been handed over. Additionally, the hospital kitchen, canteen, general kitchen, landscaping, firefighting tank and oxygen plant building have been completed. 

However, construction of the maternity building, emergency building, dental clinic, laboratory, Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) building, nutrition block, public toilet, link corridor and water tank has not yet begun.

Similarly, 80 per cent of the solid waste management contract has been completed. 

The contractor for this project, valued at Rs. 92.8 million, has received payments Rs. 43.7 million so far. 

Premraj Pangeni, a sub-engineer with the unit, noted that approximately Rs. 35 million is still left to be paid. 

Additionally, there is no budget for this project this year. Director Prada Khatri stated that Health Minister Pradip Paudel had assured that the issue would be resolved within a week or two.

Although a budget was allocated for this project last year, the contractor company did not receive payment for the completed work as the deadline was not extended.  This year, no budget has been allocated for the project. Director Dr. Khatri mentioned that Health Minister Pradip Paudel had assured that the issue would be resolved within a week or two.

Dipendra Dahal, project manager of the construction company Bikoi, stated that even though the deadline had expired, they were continuing the construction works as it was not appropriate to abandon the construction of buildings of a sensitive field like hospital. 

“We have submitted the bill, and we still owe Rs.75 million. We did not stop work because we are building the hospital,” he said.

The construction company claims that the site has not been available for approximately a year and a half since the contract was signed. 

With an anticipated wait of six to seven months for the technical report, Dahal added, “There are other reasons for the work delays. It’s a place where work cannot continue during the day time.”

He also mentioned that the company has purchased materials worth about Rs. 50 million to complete the remaining work. The construction company has taken a stand that the building will not be completed without payment while the Ministry of Health lacks the budget to cover these costs. 

Consequently, patients are forced to sit on the floor and benches for treatment as the new buildings remain empty. Dr. Khatri highlighted the need for the Ministry to make a concrete decision and manage the budget effectively for the project.