ILAM: The Ilam Municipality has brought an eye hospital into operation.

The municipality established the hospital based on a procedure using the authority given by the Local Government Operation Act 2017.

The community eye hospital established in the district is said to be the first such hospital in the country to be run locally.

The municipality had raised Rs. 5 million for the construction of the hospital in the previous fiscal year.

In the current fiscal year, Rs. 10 million has been allocated. Out of the allocated amount, Rs. 57.90 million has been spent including Rs. 53.24 million worth of capital expenditure and Rs. 465,000 on operations.

Non-surgical services are now available at the hospital. General eye OPD, general treatment, general surgery, spectacle making and other services will be provided.

Earlier, due to the lack of an eye hospital in the district, people with even ordinary eye ailments had to go outside the district for services.

The hospital has two ophthalmologists, a pharmacist and a spectacle technician. After the operation of the eye hospital, the residents of the rural areas of the district are expected to benefit.

Deputy Mayor Sushila Nemwang shared that after the operation of the hospital, the residents of Ilam as well as other local levels of the district will also be able to avail the services.