SURKHET: Karnali Province is lagging behind in terms of infrastructure compared to other provinces in the country, and there are various reasons for this. Despite the hopes that the situation would improve after the adoption of a federal setup, the slow progress in constructing basic hospital buildings at local units suggests that the expectations of Karnali’s citizens will not be fulfilled anytime soon.
The then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone for 396 basic hospitals at local units across the country, including 53 in Karnali Province. The federal government had allocated a budget for the construction of hospital buildings at each local level, ranging from five to 15 beds. However, in Karnali Province, the projects are not progressing as expected. Some units have not awarded contracts, some are facing problems with land acquisition, and some have not been able to select suitable sites for construction. Even the projects that have been awarded to contractors are not progressing as expected.
The process of constructing a hospital building in Lekbesi Municipality of Surkhet was initiated two years ago, but the construction has not yet begun due to the municipality’s inability to obtain the necessary land for the hospital. Mayor Umesh Poudel stated that they have not been able to finalize the site for the hospital. “Land acquisition remains our first priority,” he added.
The municipality has sent an environment impact assessment report for a forest land to the federal government for approval about a year ago. But they have not received approval to use the land yet. “The federal cabinet is responsible for issuing permits for forest land use. But it hasn’t taken any decision on our proposal yet,” he added.
The Bheriganga Municipality of Surkhet is also facing similar issues with the construction of their hospital. As local units are not authorized to procure private land, the municipality is also planning to build the hospital in a government forest. Mayor Yagya Prasad Dhakal stated that they have already initiated the process of acquiring land and will begin the construction process as soon as they obtain the necessary land.
The situation is similar in most local units in Karnali Province. Although some units have started the construction process, they have not seen the expected progress due to various issues.
The Panchapuri Municipality in Surkhet is currently upgrading its existing health post to a basic hospital. Mayor Lalbir Chaudhary reported that construction work is progressing according to the contract. “We have achieved 60% physical progress so far,” he added.
The municipality has been allocated a budget of Rs 120 billion for the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Birendranagar Municipality in the Karnali Province capital is constructing a building for basic hospital in Latikoili. The municipality already has a province-level hospital and a municipal hospital. The basic hospital aims at improving access to healthcare services for people residing in the lower parts of the Surkhet Valley.
Ward chairperson Rishi Giri stated that the 15-bed hospital has achieved 30% physical progress. It will have an oxygen plant, he said. “The municipality will oversee the human resources and infrastructure management of the hospital,” Giri added.
According to Dr Shubha Shrestha, the existing Latikoili health post has been serving people in four wards of the municipality.
As part of the federal government’s initiative to build hospitals in all local units, foundation stones were laid for basic hospitals in Panchapuri, Birendranagar, Bheriganga, Gurbhakot, and Lokbesi municipalities. Currently, Panchapuri provides services through a health post with 25 beds, while the other four local units have five-bed health posts.
However, according to Acting Director of Health Services Directorate, Dr. Ravin Khadka, the work progress of 42 basic hospitals under construction in the province is slow. “The work is not progressing at the speed at which the foundation stones were laid,” Dr Khadka said.
The construction process has started in most local units, but there is still a lot of work to be done, he added.
70% progress in 13 years!
The construction of hospital buildings in Dolpa, Salyan, Rukum, Humla, Kalikot, Surkhet, Dailekh, and Jajarkot districts under the Integrated Health Infrastructure Development Program is facing delays. While the buildings are being constructed in Salyan, Rukum, Humla, Dolpa, and Dailekh under the Ministry of Social Development of Karnali Province Government, those in Surkhet, Jajarkot, and Rukum West are being constructed by the Federal Project Implementation Unit.
The delay is causing concern among citizens who are in dire need of improved healthcare services.
The construction of the Simakrakma Health Post building in Jajarkot, which started 13 years ago, still remains incomplete even though the hospital’s initial completion deadline expired nine years ago.
Karmal Darlami, an engineer working with the Federal Project Implementation Unit in Surkhet, expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of the building construction. “Despite our continuous efforts to push the contractor to speed up the work, there seems to be no momentum in the construction work,” he added.
Nirajan Adhikari, the site in-charge, said that the hospital building in Surkhet, which was expected to be completed by April last year, still remains incomplete. “It has been given a new deadline of September,” he added.
The construction of the Simakrakma Health Post building in Jajarkot, which started 13 years ago, still remains incomplete even though the hospital’s initial completion deadline expired nine years ago. According to Binod Acharya, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province Government, the project has achieved 70% work progress.
Meanwhile, the construction of the Majhkot Badkule Health Post in Jajarkot has only achieved 30% work progress. The project was tendered in April 2012 and was supposed to be completed and handed over by October 2013. As the project has been stuck in limbo, preparations are underway to terminate the contract.
In addition, the construction of the 15-bed Ayurveda Hospital building in Surkhet has only completed 20% of the work. The project, which was contracted in June 2021, should have been completed by April 2023.
The work on the Provincial Public Health Laboratory in Surkhet is also progressing slowly. The project, which was awarded to the contractor in June 2021, has only completed 25% of the work. It was scheduled to be completed by January, 2023.
On the other hand, the construction of the new building for Jajarkot District Hospital with a capacity of 50 beds has reached its final stage. The project, which costs Rs 120.68 million, was awarded to the contractor in June 2020, with a deadline of January 2023.
