Badigad Rural Municipality has brought the Gwalichaur Health Post into operation in a building constructed at a cost of Rs 180 million on approximately 15 ropanis of land.

The building, which was intended to be a basic hospital, was not immediately staffed and could not provide services, so a health post was brought into operation for the proper use of the building. This building, which was intended to operate services including a 15-bed hospital, is now empty.

It has been a year since the construction was completed in four years. The road leading to the building has also been connected. Electricity and drinking water have also been connected. Electricity bills have now started to be collected. But there is no preparation to operate this building as per its purpose.

This 15-bed hospital was built in the field of Gwalichour in Badigad Rural Municipality-5. Badigad had a quota of 15-bed hospital for one municipality, one hospital. Accordingly, this building was built last year. But operating a hospital here has become a great challenge.

Currently, 20 to 30 patients are treated here daily, and up to 20 lab tests are conducted on 17 patients. The lab is also operated with materials provided by the Fairmade Foundation. Health Assistant Sushila Reshmi said that the establishment of the lab has eliminated the need to go to Burtiwang or Palpa for general services. The suction machine, doubler and delivery bed, and lab materials and equipment were provided by donors. In addition, materials such as microscopes and centrifuges have also been provided here.

Five dialysis machines have been brought here to make it a basic hospital. However, it has not been able to be put into operation due to lack of skilled manpower. If the machine is put into operation, the pressure on the Dhaulagiri Provincial Hospital will be reduced if the people of West Baglung can avail the service.

Currently, 60 to 80 people are undergoing dialysis at Dhaulagiri Hospital daily. But they are forced to wait for three to four days a week due to not getting their turn. ‘If we can provide the service by adding dialysis machines here, if not, we will take the initiative to create an environment where we can operate them in other places,’ said hospital chairman Shri Prasad Sharma. ‘If we can also bring the equipment in rural areas into operation, the pressure on the hospital would be reduced.’ He said that other problems here would be solved if basic hospitals come into operation.

For the operation of this hospital, people’s representatives including rural municipality chairman Gandaki Thapa and vice-chairman Bhimsen Van and the chief administrative officer have repeatedly visited the federal and provincial health ministries. They have met the provincial chief minister and health minister several times. But they complain that no concrete answer has been received. Thapa said that if ONM is done and manpower is sent, the equipment can be used to provide services not only to the locals but also to the residents of the surrounding areas. 

The locals had given up the land saying that the hospital would be built by clearing rice fields.  Even the locals are disappointed that even though a sizable building was built at a cost of crores, it has not been operationalized.  'We have donated land together for the building, but so far there is no indication of its operation,' says local Rajiv Ghimire, 'What is the use of building only houses if the people do not get services?' He said that even the land donor is disappointed to see that the hospital is not operational.