The hospital that serves patients from three districts is in a dire state: Risk of service shutdown

Nepal Health News – Gokuleshwar Hospital, located under Shailyashikhar Municipality in Darchula district, is facing serious operational challenges. According to healthcare workers and service recipients, the condition of the hospital is steadily deteriorating. The main issues are a lack of budget and human resources, which have severely affected the hospital’s service delivery.

At present, the position of Medical Superintendent is vacant, and only two medical officers are working on a contractual basis. According to Shiva Dutta Joshi, the municipal health coordinator, low salaries and lack of facilities are the main reasons why doctors are reluctant to work there. Additionally, salaries for healthcare staff have been withheld for the past seven months, causing significant hardship for the employees.

The hospital still operates in an old building, which was previously a three-bed primary health center and has now been upgraded to a 15-bed facility. However, the infrastructure remains inadequate, and the quality of health services has declined. Doctors state that Gokuleshwar Hospital is a key healthcare provider for patients from various parts of Baitadi and Darchula districts, resulting in high patient pressure.

The condition of the hospital's medical equipment is also concerning. For example, the ultrasound machine is currently out of order and has not yet been repaired, which is affecting patient treatment. Doctors have requested the provincial government to fix the machine.

Despite having only 15 beds, the hospital receives a high number of patients. People from Lekhgaun Rural Municipality, Shailyashikhar Municipality, Marma Rural Municipality, and other areas of Darchula rely on Gokuleshwar Hospital as their primary healthcare center. However, a lack of coordination and support from the provincial government has made hospital operations increasingly difficult.

To address the situation, Mayor Vijay Singh Dhami of Shailyashikhar Municipality has announced plans to hold discussions with the provincial government. He stated that if neighboring local governments are willing to share responsibilities, the hospital could be managed under local authority. Otherwise, the municipality alone cannot bear the entire burden of running the hospital.

In conclusion, addressing the problems of Gokuleshwar Hospital will require urgent attention to budget, staffing, and medical equipment. Without strong support and coordination from local and provincial bodies, strengthening the hospital for the long term will remain a major challenge.