In the mountainous district of Dolpa, patients have to be rescued by helicopter. Due to the lack of well-equipped health care services in the district, they have to rely on helicopters to treat complex patients.

A patient was rescued from Dolpa on Tuesday by chartering a Simrik Air helicopter. Assistant Chief District Officer Ramesh Poudel informed that the patient from Upper Dolpa was rescued by chartering a helicopter.

Mindi Gurung, a resident of Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality-5 from Upper Dolpa, has been taken to Kathmandu for treatment. She has been suffering from TB for a long time. Her husband Yungdung Gurung informed that she was rescued by hiring a helicopter for eight hundred thousand rupees for treatment after suddenly developing health problems.

He said that he had to charter a helicopter after pleading with everyone after his wife fell ill. Rural Municipality Chairman Dhwasumduk Gurung said that while chartering a helicopter in the hope of saving the life of Upper Dolpa, he had to sell his farm.

‘It is not possible to build a well-equipped hospital with the budget received at the local level.’ Even when we appeal to the provincial and federal governments, they are not listened to,” he said. “At least if the government had built a well-equipped hospital keeping in mind the three local levels of Upper Dolpa, the locals would not have had to go into debt during the course of health treatment.”

Two people injured in a motorcycle accident involving Karnali Province 1 Pa 1218 in Tripurakot, Tripurasundari Municipality-1, were rescued by chartering a helicopter on Tuesday.

Netra Rokaya, 35, of Thulibheri Municipality-4, and Geeta Budha, 36, of the same place, were rescued by helicopter, said Topendra Budhamagar, Information Officer and Police Inspector of the District Police Office, Dolpa. Rokaya’s knee and Budha’s hand were seriously injured and they were taken to Kathmandu for treatment, he said. Rokaya died during treatment in Kathmandu.