Residents have been deprived of quality health services after the company awarded the contract for the construction of the under-construction Ramche Health Post building in Kalika Rural Municipality-1, Ramche, left the work incomplete, and went out of contact.
Due to the building not being constructed on time as per the agreement, there has been a problem in the delivery of quality health services. Om Buddha International Construction Pvt. Ltd., which was awarded the construction contract four years ago, went out of contact, and as the building was not completed within the stipulated time, service seekers have been facing problems in accessing basic health services. Locals say that although the company started the work after signing the agreement, it left the work incomplete for two years and has not been in contact since.
“The construction entrepreneur has not been in contact for four years. It has been a long time since the building construction was left incomplete,” said Ram Prasad Dhakal, Health Assistant at the health post.
Local Ram Tamang says that since the construction of the building, which began in 2020, has not been completed, it has become very difficult to receive maternity services and other health check-up services. Dawa Tamang, ward chairperson of Kalika Rural Municipality-1, said that they have repeatedly complained to the Chief District Officer in the past as well. “The contractor has started work in many places, so work everywhere has been abandoned. Years have passed since the contractor went out of contact,” said Ward Chairperson Tamang.
Stakeholders are demanding that the rural municipality cancel the building construction contract made with the contractor company in accordance with Section 59 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, place it on the blacklist, and proceed with legal action against the company that started the construction of the Ramche Health Post building four years ago but failed to complete the work on time and left it abandoned.
Sabina Majhi, chief of Ramche Health Post, said that due to the health post building being abandoned, it has become extremely difficult to provide daily treatment services to service seekers.