Provincial Hospital in Tanahun Acquires Land for Expansion; GP Koirala Center Adds Specialists

Tanahun. The Provincial Hospital located in the district headquarters Damauli has acquired land for its upgrade. Following the decision of the Government of Nepal's Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation on the 26th of Kartik, seven ropanis of land registered under the names of the District Coordination Committee, Agriculture Development Office, and Veterinary Hospital and Animal Service Expert Center have been allocated for the hospital's use.

The Land Revenue Office provided the land use certificate to the Provincial Hospital Damauli on the 19th of Magh, informed Land Revenue Chief Rajendra Prasad Paudel. According to him, five ropanis registered under the District Coordination Committee, two ropanis under the Agriculture Development Office, and one ropani under the Veterinary Hospital have been made available to the hospital.

Certain conditions have been set for the use of the acquired land. According to Paudel, the allocated land must be properly protected and conserved to prevent encroachment. Furthermore, the land allocated cannot be used for profit-making or commercial activities, nor can it be leased or rented to any individual or entity, Paudel stated. It must be used only for the purpose for which it was requested; otherwise, the Government of Nepal can reclaim the land, including its infrastructure, if it is not used according to its objective.

Kamalmohan Wagle, Chairman of the Hospital Management Committee, stated that the hospital's upgrade, which was halted due to the lack of land acquisition, is now certain to proceed. The Gandaki Provincial Government has already decided to upgrade the hospital to 50 beds. In line with this decision, positions for eight specialist doctors have been approved for the hospital.

Established as a health post in BS 2034 and upgraded to a primary health center in 2055, this facility was upgraded to a hospital in 2059 BS.

The hospital has already expanded services including wastewater management, construction of a building with an autoclave for solid waste management, operation of services including an eye specialist, state-of-the-art dental services, anesthesia services, an ICU ward with ventilators, advanced laboratory services, digital X-ray, and a free medicine counter.

Additionally, the hospital has arranged two mortuary chambers with two tiers each for storing bodies. The hospital stated that it provides emergency services, pharmacy, ART, laboratory, dental, eye services, in addition to mental health treatment and dialysis services.

The hospital served 107,983 people in the fiscal year 2081-82, 98,356 in FY 2080-81. Similarly, it provided services to 73,253 people in FY 2079-80 and 64,594 in FY 2078-79.

Specialist Doctors Added at GP Koirala Hospital

Nine specialist doctors have been added at the GP Koirala Respiratory Treatment Center located in Belchautara, Shuklaphanta Municipality-5. The Ministry of Health and Population has added nine specialist doctors to the hospital.

According to the Center's Executive Director Dr. Ramkumar Shrestha, the addition of scholarship doctors has eased service delivery. Other necessary health workers and staff will be added to expand the services provided by the center. Dialysis services for kidney patients have been expanded in two shifts at the hospital. The goal is to start emergency, surgery, gynecology, and ear, nose, and throat-related surgeries.

Executive Director Shrestha said, "Endoscopy service has already started, and we are preparing to launch bronchoscopy service. Budget has been received for installing a lift in the main building of the center. The necessary process for lift installation has been initiated." A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared for expanding the hospital to 300 beds. The government decided in 2067 BS to establish a national-level respiratory treatment center in the name of the late former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to establish it as the best respiratory treatment center in South Asia.

The ownership of the Seti Ganga Community Hospital located in the same area was transferred to the GP Koirala Respiratory Treatment Center in 2075 BS. Currently, 740 ropanis of land have been acquired in the name of the treatment center. Patients from road accidents, as well as those with diarrhea, typhoid, fever, gastric issues, abdominal problems, and orthopedic ailments, regularly visit the hospital. The treatment center has been adding various health facilities recently. Dr. Shrestha stated that the facilities are being expanded with the objective of providing all types of health services easily to the public.

The hospital serves people from Shuklaphanta and Bhimad Municipalities, Myagde, and Rishing Rural Municipalities of Tanahun, as well as some rural municipalities in Syangja, Palpa, and Nawalparasi. The hospital provides services including orthopedics and neurology by specialist doctors, general surgery, internal medicine, culture service, OPD service, 24-hour emergency service, laboratory, video X-ray service, and general surgery.