Agreement to seal GP Hospital deal expected

By Amar Raj Naharki,Tanahun, Aug. 31: During Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s upcoming visit to India, an agreement is expected to be signed with the Government of India for the construction of a new 300-bed building for the GP Koirala National Respiratory Treatment Centre.

Minister for Health and Population, Pradeep Paudel, stated that the federal government aims to upgrade the centre into the country’s largest hospital for treating respiratory ailments. 

The new building will be constructed at Belchautara in Shuklagandaki Municipality-5, equipped with modern facilities. A detailed project report (DPR) has already been prepared and the approved budget of Rs. 6 billion has been submitted to India’s Ministry of Health, Minister Paudel informed.

He further said, “To run an MDGP doctor training programme, at least 700 patients are required. This will be possible once the 300-bed hospital is built.”

According to Dr Ram Kumar Shrestha, Executive Director of the Centre, the proposed hospital complex will include an emergency unit, outpatient department, administrative building, staff housing, oxygen plant, waste management facility, mortuary, playground, parking area, multipurpose hall and a helipad.

Meanwhile, patients at the centre will no longer have to carry their medical files from one department to another. With the launch of the electronic health record (EHR) system, past reports, diagnoses, prescriptions, treatments and lab details will all be accessible on the computer.

Dr. Shrestha said, “All patient records will remain available on the computer until they leave the pharmacy. This will reduce pressure at the ticket counter and laboratory, and lower treatment costs.” 

The World Health Organisation has provided the necessary equipment worth Rs. 3.3 million for the system.

Minister Paudel added that the government plans to expand this service nationwide. While India will support the construction of the 300-bed respiratory hospital, Nepal aims to build a 700-bed general hospital, together creating a 1,000-bed medical facility.

The centre has been established as a central hospital on about 700 ropani of land. At present, a 50-bed general hospital, including respiratory services, is in operation, Dr. Shrestha said.

He said, “We are working to develop the centre as the largest respiratory hospital in Asia, which will be a major milestone in Nepal’s health sector.”

The centre receives around 300 patients daily from Tanahun, Kaski, Gorkha, Lamjung and Nawalpur, of whom about 80 per cent are insured.

The former Setiganga Community Hospital was handed over to the Government of Nepal in 2016 after it faced financial difficulties. To honour the contribution of the late former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the government established the centre in his name.

Currently, the centre provides ICU, surgery, orthopaedics, ENT, X-ray, video X-ray services, along with laboratory facilities and treatment by respiratory specialists.