Health Minister Gagan Kumar Thapa has sought official clarifications from the executive body of BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital Board, Chitwan for the increasing shambles in the hospital.

A monitoring report about the hospital submitted by a ministry team prompted Minister Thapa to seek clarifications in writing from hospital board Chair Dr Prakash Raj Neupane and Executive Director Dr Chin Bahadur Pun within the next three days.

According to the Department of Health Services, the Ministry of Health, clarification was sought today over the issues relating to financial irregularities, sluggish administrative performance, lack of proper disposal of the radio-active waste and the trend of hospital doctors and staff working outside.

The hospital’s arrears stand at over Rs 300 million.

The hospital board meeting has not taken place since last April in the absence of the appointments to the vacant posts of its members.

A four-member team headed by Dr Dipendra Raman Singh was formed on December 13 through a secretarial-level meeting to monitor the hospital business and submit the report to the Ministry.

Hospital Board Chair Nepaune said he is submitting the clarifications by tomorrow.

Executive Director Pun is learnt to have already left for the capital for so.

The board is charged with spending Rs 140 million in the past five months bypassing the economic regulations when its budget is yet to be passed in the absence of the board meeting.