Kumari Foundation hands over medical equipment to Chhedagad’s hospital

By Bashudev Sharma,Jajarkot, May 27: Kumari Foundation Kathmandu has handed over medical equipment worth more than Rs. 30 million to the municipal hospital of Chhedagad Municipality.

Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Karnali province and Chairperson of Kumari Trust Foundation, Rajiv Bikram Shah, handed over the equipment to Chhedagad Municipality Mayor Ratna Bahadur Khadka.

With the aim of providing health services to people in rural areas, the Kumari Foundation, with support from Rotary Club of Kathmandu and Rotary Club of Mumbai Cuffe Parade, provided the equipment to the head of the local government. 

Due to the geographical remoteness and lack of healthcare facilities, people from remote areas are compelled to travel to Nepalgunj, Surkhet, or Kathmandu for treatment.  To address this, essential equipment has been supplied to the municipal hospital.

According to Minister Shah, due to the lack of well-equipped hospitals and insufficient equipment in health posts in Chhedagad, Shivalaya, Junichande and Kushe rural municipalities, locals were forced to seek treatment outside the district. 

In response, he constructed a 15-bed hospital building with support from Kumari Foundation.  After handing over the hospital building to Chhedagad Municipality, services such as dental, ophthalmology, gynecology, pediatrics, general ward, ENT, and laboratory were expanded. Due to a lack of equipment, support was provided to the municipal hospital. About 16 years ago, following an outbreak of diarrhoea in Jajarkot, Minister Shah had delivered medicine via helicopter with medical professionals through his own expenses. 

To ensure poor, marginalised, Dalit and economically vulnerable people in rural villages receive health services locally, the hospital building was constructed with Shah’s personal expenses and service expansion was initiated. 

As many could not afford treatment at expensive hospitals and were losing their lives without proper medical check-ups, equipment was provided to ensure quality services from a well-equipped hospital in the village.

Chhedagad Municipality Mayor Ratna Bahadur Khadka expressed happiness at receiving the essential equipment with the support of Kumari Foundation, as well-equipped hospitals were lacking in Chhedagad, Junichande, Shivalaya and Kushe rural municipalities in the western part of Jajarkot.

The provision of equipment has ensured effective healthcare delivery, ending the hardship of poor, disadvantaged and poor people, who often struggle to afford daily necessities, from having to travel elsewhere for medical treatment.

According to the mayor, the hospital’s services will benefit people from rural areas of Jajarkot, Dailekh, and Surkhet districts.