Locals of Musikot and surrounding villages are deprived of health services due to the absence of doctors at the District Hospital in Rukum (West).

Though the health facility has three vacancies for doctors, there is only one doctor providing health services to patients. The hospital receives around 300 patients on a daily basis.

Dr Sushil Pokharel, the hospital chief, is the only medical officer at the district hospital. This means he is overburdened with administrative works and is not always available at the hospital.

“I have to look at patients of both OPD [out-patient department] and IPD [in-patient department],” said Pokharel. He himself feels unwell most of the time due to the pressure.

The District Hospital, established 30 years ago, is unable to provide basic services such as post-mortem examination due to the lack of doctors. According to the hospital administration, provincial and federal governments have been informed about the problems.

“People’s representatives and lawmakers should take the initiative to fill the vacant positions of health workers at the District Hospital and also upgrade the hospital,” said Pokharel.