Patients in Banglachuli Rural Municipality have been facing difficulties after the ambulance service has remained out of service for the past year. The ambulance, purchased to ensure timely hospital access for critical and maternity cases within the municipality, has not been repaired, forcing patients to rely on private vehicles for transportation. Due to the difficult geography and remote settlements, locals of Banglachuli Rural Municipality have been facing severe hardship when falling ill, as vehicles are often unavailable. Even when available, they are forced to pay high fares for private transportation to reach health facilities. Since the municipality’s ambulance has remained out of service, citizens have been unable to access timely health services. Elderly individuals, children, pregnant and postpartum women, and people with physical disabilities have been particularly affected.
Sushil Pariyar, a resident, stated that due to the hilly and remote area, patients needing emergency care are compelled to travel to Ghorahi in auto rickshaws, paying high fares and risking their safety. He urged the municipality to resume ambulance services without delay. On April 20, local youths staged a demonstration at the rural municipality office, carrying placards with slogans demanding ambulance service as part of their right to health. They also warned of launching protests if the ambulance service is not restored promptly. Sushil Pariyar mentioned that the demonstration was intended to draw the attention of the local government and urged the municipality to take the issue seriously. Additionally, they have demanded the immediate resumption of ambulance service, stating that reserving auto rickshaws costs a high amount and the roads have become severely damaged due to the heavy tippers from the nearby cement factory, making travel risky.
The ambulance (Ra 1 Jha 132), previously operated by Banglachuli Rural Municipality got into an accident and was sent for repairs. However, the service has not resumed even after several months. Chairperson of the Rural Municipality, Tulsiram Pun, stated that repairing the damaged ambulance would cost a lot and purchasing a new one would require approval from the Rural Municipality assembly. He mentioned that although the service could not be resumed immediately, they are working towards resolving the issue as soon as possible.
Although it has been nearly ten years since the formation of local governments as provisioned by the Constitution of Nepal issued in 2015, the local authority has not repaired the ambulance to ensure health services for the people under its jurisdiction. Article 35 of the Constitution of Nepal guarantees the right to health. Sub-article 1 of the same article states that every citizen shall have the right to receive free basic health services from the State and that no one shall be deprived of emergency health services. Despite this, the lack of ambulance availability during emergencies has continued to cause difficulties for the citizens.