POKHARA: The Gandaki Province government has initiated steps to bring six locally-run hospitals under its jurisdiction, aiming to enhance healthcare delivery by addressing persistent operational and resource-related challenges.
According to Minister for Health Krishna Prasad Pathak, the provincial government has formed a seven-member task force to assess the current status and feasibility of managing six hospitals located in Syangja, Tanahun, Lamjung, and Baglung districts.
These include Waling Municipal Hospital and Bhirkot Hospital in Syangja, Kalimati Hospital in Tanahun, Sundarbazar Hospital in Lamjung, and Baglung Municipal Hospital and Badigad Basic Hospital in Baglung.
Minister Pathak said local governments have repeatedly requested that the province assume responsibility for these facilities, citing limitations in financial resources and a lack of medical personnel.
The task force will study various aspects of these hospitals, including service delivery, infrastructure, staffing levels, medical equipment, patient volume, and financial status. Based on the findings, the province will decide whether to formally take over and upgrade these hospitals.
One of the major issues faced by local governments is the inability to effectively operate hospitals despite significant investment in infrastructure. Badigad Rural Municipality, for instance, built a basic hospital in Pauditari last year at a cost of Rs 180 million, yet it remains non-operational due to a lack of staff and equipment.
Chairperson Gandaki Thapa Adhikari said the rural municipality does not have the capacity to run the hospital on its own. He noted that they have submitted formal requests to the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health Services for support, underlining the need for intergovernmental cooperation.
Minister Pathak affirmed the province’s readiness to provide assistance with manpower, equipment, and administrative support to the extent possible. He said that sustainable and effective operation of these hospitals will require collaboration between federal, provincial, and local levels of government.
In 2020, the federal government had decided to construct 5-, 10-, and 15-bed basic hospitals in all local units based on geography and population. Although many hospital buildings were completed within two years, a large number remain out of operation.
The Gandaki government’s current initiative is seen as an effort to prevent these public health investments from going to waste and to ensure improved healthcare services for rural populations.
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