Bharatpur Hospitals Ready to Treat Victims from Mugling-Malekhu Road Accidents

Chitwan. Treatment for accident victims from the Mugling-Malekhu section of the Prithvi Highway is expected to be easier and faster in Bharatpur. Since the Narayangadh-Mugling road is smooth, Bharatpur can be reached faster than Kathmandu in terms of distance.

The Federal Hospital, Bharatpur Hospital, in Bharatpur has started a Trauma Center. Along with this, two medical colleges and smaller hospitals here are also capable of treating accident victims. Bharatpur Hospital alone has 20 orthopedic surgeons and 21 general surgeons. According to the hospital's Medical Superintendent, Prof. Dr. Krishna Prasad Paudel, there is no shortage of equipment like CT scans and MRIs.

Complex treatments for heart, nerves, etc., are also performed here. Similarly, Chitwan Medical College and College of Medical Sciences, which handle many trauma cases, have also kept the necessary equipment and manpower ready for treating accident victims. Doctors say that victims can be saved if treatment is provided on time.

Prof. Dr. Dayaram Lamsal, Director of Chitwan Medical College and Head of the Emergency Department, stated that the time within one hour of an accident is called the 'Golden Hour,' and he mentioned that the possibility of saving the victim is higher if they are rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible. He said, "Victims should be sent wherever it is nearest in terms of distance and convenience." He added that the current trend is to transport victims to the hospital while providing treatment with health workers in the ambulance.

Prof. Dr. Paudel, Medical Superintendent of Bharatpur Hospital, mentioned that victims are often sent to Kathmandu due to the 'Mofasal' (out-of-city) mentality, but he asserts that Bharatpur Hospital has facilities comparable to those in Kathmandu. When victims from the Mugling-Malekhu road are sent to Kathmandu, they have to travel a long distance over uphill and difficult roads, whereas coming to Bharatpur involves a shorter distance and a smoother road.

After rescuing the injured, they are taken to a local hospital and then sent to Kathmandu. Mohan Prasad Neupane, Assistant Chief District Officer of Dhading, stated that one party handles the rescue while the other manages logistics, and attention is sometimes diverted from this coordination.

Poshanath Adhikari, who has been working as a journalist in Dhading for a long time, says that because the Narayangadh-Mugling road section was difficult in the past, victims were sent to Kathmandu, and this practice continues. According to him, after an accident, victims are taken to the nearest hospital. When taken this way, victims reach hospitals in Malekhu and Gajuri. From there, they are often sent towards Kathmandu because the distance shortens and the route is considered easier, he added.