Gautam Buddha Hospital tops cardiac, renal care in Lumbini

By Our Correspondent,Butwal, Jan.12: A social initiative that began with the industrial exhibition and fair organised every year in Butwal has today transformed into the largest community-based heart and dialysis service centre in Lumbini Province.

For the first time outside Kathmandu, the Rupandehi Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised an industrial exhibition in 1988. 

The exhibition was launched to promote local products. Fifteen years ago, the chamber decided to invest a portion of the entry fee collected from visitors into the social sector. 

It was decided to allocate three rupees from each ticket toward establishing a hospital for heart disease treatment.

With the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Gautam Buddha Community Heart Hospital was established in Butwal in 2013.

In the initial phase, the chamber allocated Rs. 423,490 for the hospital. Currently, the hospital is operating as a non-profit institution with an investment of approximately Rs. 50 million.

The hospital first offered treatment for heart diseases, and after two years, it introduced kidney treatment.

Located in Ramnagar, Butwal, the hospital has been operating dialysis centres in various locations across Lumbini and Gandaki Provinces.

According to the hospital, 851 kidney patients in Lumbini Province require dialysis, of whom the hospital is providing regular and free dialysis services to 551 patients. Among them, 311 are from Butwal, 57 from Dang, 59 from Palpa, 67 from Syangja and 57 from Kapilvastu. The hospital reports that it has provided a total of 333,721 free dialysis sessions to date. 

In the current fiscal year alone, 56,437 dialysis sessions have been conducted. The services are provided 24 hours a day through 20 dialysis machines.

The government provides reimbursement of Rs. 2,500 per session. According to this provision, the hospital claims to have delivered services worth approximately Rs. 139.465 million in the current fiscal year alone.

Under the leadership of kidney disease specialist Dr. Rajat Kayastha, 35 healthcare professionals are currently working in the hospital, while the total number of employees exceeds 300. 

The hospital states that it provides outpatient and diagnostic services at government-regulated rates.

According to hospital chairman Ejaz Alam, the hospital launched under the slogan “Healthy Heart, Our Campaign”, has now become the largest community-based dialysis centre in Lumbini Province. 

He also informed that the hospital has received support from the Rotary Club and the Rotary Foundation.

At present, the hospital has 744 community members. The hospital reports that it provides more than Rs. 10 million in discounts every year for the treatment of extremely poor and helpless patients.

Although Tilottama Municipality–4 announced the donation of 10 bighas of land, the land has not yet been formally transferred to the hospital’s ownership. 

As a result, the construction of the hospital’s own building has been affected.

The hospital has set a target to operate a 200-bed hospital within one year of receiving the land, with a long-term plan to expand to 800 beds.