Health institutions in Baitadi have to travel 250 km to refill oxygen

By Our Correspondent,Baitadi, Feb. 15: Baitadi District Hospital has a functional oxygen plant to refill 80 oxygen cylinders daily. However, local health institutions in the district continue to travel to Dhangadhi located  250 kilometres away to refill their empty cylinders. 

This situation has arisen due to a lack of coordination among the three types of health institutions operating in the district, each with separate budgets.

Installed in 2021 with a budget of Rs.15 million from the federal government and Rs.8 million from the provincial government, the oxygen plant located on the premises of Baitadi Hospital is currently being used solely for the hospital’s own needs.

Health institutions that require a higher supply of oxygen after the district hospital, such as Patan Primary Health Centre, Kesarpur Primary Health Centre, as well as health posts in Melauli, Hat and Shivanath, have reportedly been refilling their cylinders in Dhangadhi. 

In Patan Municipality alone, around 20 patients require oxygen daily, according to Health Coordinator Madan Mahara. Statistical data suggests that more than 50 individuals in Patan Municipality suffer from chronic respiratory diseases, with 15 of them requiring oxygen cylinders daily and five relying on oxygen concentrators.

 He further informed that regular patients with respiratory conditions receive oxygen free of charge from health institutions. In some cases, a nominal fee is charged for refilling oxygen cylinders for financially well-off patients.

Similarly, Kesarpur Primary Health Centre uses 10 oxygen cylinders regularly while Hat’s Health Post requires 14 cylinders. Due to the lack of coordination, these health facilities transport empty cylinders to Dhangadhi for refilling, confirmed Binod Bahadur Kunwar, the Health Coordinator of Purchaudi Municipality.

He wondered whether oxygen could be refilled at Baitadi Hospital. “ We weren’t even aware. If it is refilled commercially, why should we go to Dhangadhi? We could simply collect it from Baitadi Hospital.” 

He attributed the situation to a lack of coordination between the district hospital and local health institutions.

The cost of transporting and refilling oxygen cylinders from Dhangadhi is significantly higher. A small cylinder costs Rs.1,000, while a large one costs Rs.1,500, including transport expenses. In contrast, the price set at Baitadi District Hospital is Rs.500 for a small cylinder and Rs.1,000 for a large one, as per Information Officer Harish Pant.

Parvati Bhatt, Chairperson of the Baitadi Hospital Management Committee, highlighted the underlying issue, stating that the presence of three different health systems in the same district—each with separate budgets—has led to a situation where there is no structured coordination.

She pointed out that while district hospitals fall under provincial jurisdiction, district health offices are under federal authority and primary health centres and health posts operate under local governments. As a result, none of these institutions effectively communicate or coordinate their services.

Mukeshkant Dayal, a public health inspector at Kesarpur Primary Health Centre in Melauli Municipality, stated that if proper coordination were established, local health institutions could purchase oxygen from the district hospital at a subsidised rate rather than making long trips to Dhangadhi.

Baitadi District Hospital, initially designed to accommodate 15 beds, is currently providing treatment equivalent to a 50-bed facility from its new building. According to the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Shashil Bik, over 25,000 patients from across the district seek medical treatment at the hospital annually.

He emphasised, “Since the district hospital serves all 10 local levels, every local representative must take ownership of it. Oxygen supply to local health institutions could even be provided free of charge when necessary. We have been offering free meals and oxygen services to chronic respiratory patients referred from local health institutions.”