Patients have complained that they are unable to receive even the free medicines provided by the government at Pashupati Chaulagain Memorial Hospital, located in Charikot, the district headquarters of Dolakha.
Despite the legal provision stating stating that the Government of Nepal is to provide 98 types of medicines free of cost, the hospital has stated that only three types of medicines are being provided at Pashupati Chaulagain Memorial Hospital.
Out of the 98 types of medicines that the Government of Nepal is supposed to provide free of charge, only paracetamol, oral rehydration salts, and gastric medicine are available at the hospital, said Hospital Superintendent Dr. Achyut Paudel. Superintendent Paudel stated that due to the lack of supply of free medicines, patients have been deprived of services. He further said that the hospital has been compelled to refer service recipients back to municipal health institutions and ward-level health posts.
According to Hospital Management Committee Chairperson Subas Rimal, while 32 types of medicines are required at Pashupati Chaulagain Hospital from among the government’s list of free medicines, only three types are being supplied.
Chairperson Rimal stated that when treatment is urgently required, patients are compelled to purchase and use medicines that should have been provided free of charge by the hospital. He also said that many of the 98 types of free medicines are being procured by local and provincial governments.
The 50-bed capacity hospital located in Charikot, the district headquarters, receives approximately 200 patients daily for medical services.