Lankichuha Municipality Mayor Proposes Four-Point Talks on Hospital Dispute

Dhangadhi. Kailali's Lankichuha Municipality Mayor Sushila Shahi has proposed a four-point discussion with the provincial government to resolve the dispute over the upgrading and operation of Lankichuha Hospital. On Sunday, amidst the lockdown and tug-of-war at the municipality by local residents and hospital committee representatives, Mayor Shahi clarified that she is ready for dialogue for a lawful and procedural way out. Mayor Shahi claimed that the hospital management committee formed by the Chief Minister is illegal and that people from that committee are agitating and imposing lockdowns. According to her, the lock placed on the municipal executive was removed by the municipal police shortly thereafter. Mayor Shahi claimed that the hospital dispute could be resolved in five minutes and demanded discussions with the Sudurpashchim Provincial Government and the Chief Minister on four agendas. She stated that discussions should be held on the formation and legality of the hospital management committee, the division of authority for hospital operation, a clear model for financial and administrative management, and the process of employee adjustment, and that the Sudurpashchim government should call for discussions on these four agendas. She said that these demands have been made from the beginning, but the provincial government has ignored them. 'We have called for talks many times, but the provincial government says to just come for an agreement,' said Mayor Shahi. 'We want the hospital to be upgraded, but there should be no tendency to not accept women's leadership and to work by bypassing procedures. If discussions are held on these four points, the dispute will be resolved immediately.' Mayor Shahi refuted the allegation that employees sent by the provincial government were disgracefully removed by the municipal police. 'The employees who are said to have been thrown out were not insulted. When people from the illegal committee came, made audio-video recordings, and started obstructing the workspace, they were asked to leave,' she clarified. The Sudurpashchim Provincial Government has allocated a budget of 4 crore 87 lakh 50 thousand rupees for the current financial year with the plan to upgrade Lankichuha Hospital from 15 beds to a 50-bed provincial hospital. Modern equipment worth 3 crore 31 lakh rupees for the hospital has also been handed over to the municipality. Similarly, a staff of 146 people has been approved for specialist services, and employees have also been deployed. However, the legal battle between the municipality and the provincial government over who will have the authority to manage the hospital had reached the Supreme Court. After the Supreme Court refused to issue an interim order in favor of the provincial government on April 14, the province had a way to move forward. However, the dispute has escalated as the municipality has refused to hand over the hospital. Both Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah and Mayor Sushila Shahi are elected representatives from the Nepali Congress. Despite being from the same party and residents of the same municipality, the lack of coordination has halted the hospital's upgrade, and there is a risk of the crores of rupees allocated by the province being frozen. Local residents are expressing anger, saying that they are being deprived of quality health services due to the political battle between the two governments.