KHOTANG: The Koshi Province government has decided to upgrade Khotang District Hospital into a 50-bed facility. At present, the hospital operates with only 15 beds.
The decision was made during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki on Monday. Minister for Health Bhupendra Rai tabled the proposal during the meeting.
Established on April 13, 1992, the hospital has been serving the district with limited capacity for over three decades. The construction of a new hospital building to accommodate the expansion is now in its final phase.
As the work nears completion, Minister Rai, who also oversees the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, pushed for the formal upgrade.
With the upgrade, the number of health workers has increased to 49, including 11th-level specialized doctors. Previously, the hospital had staff positions for only 30 personnel, including 8th-level specialized doctors.
Locals have expressed happiness over the upgrade, which comes 33 years after the hospital’s inception. Minister Rai stated that with expanded facilities and additional medical staff, the hospital will now be capable of treating a wide range of illnesses.
“People of Khotang will no longer face untimely deaths due to lack of treatment. They will now have easy access to essential medical services within the district,” he said.
Khotang comprises 10 local levels, and residents previously had to travel outside the district even for basic health services. The hospital’s expansion will end that longstanding hardship.
The federal government had announced plans four years ago to upgrade all district hospitals to 50-bed capacity. Following that decision, the Urban and Building Office in Okhaldhunga awarded the contract to Shyam Sundar–Ramsagar–Nepal Phulbari JV on July 8, 2021, at a cost of Rs 229 million.
The project was initially scheduled for completion within 30 months but faced two extensions before nearing completion.
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