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Intensive care service has not been able to operate in Dang due to lack of skilled manpower. The Corona Special Hospital Belzhundi and the Rapti Institute of Health Sciences, which were set up with eight ventilators and 15 ICU beds during the initiation of the Corona pandemic have not been used due to lack of manpower.

The Corona Special Hospital, Belzhundi, was set up by the provincial government and has five ventilators and five ICU beds for the treatment of critically ill patients, however, the infected people are being referred to Butwal as there were no trained health workers to provide the service, informed member secretary of the hospital Dr Sarvesh Sharma to INSEC representative.

Sharma said that three critically infected corona patients came for treatment but due to lack of manpower have been referred to Butwal. Two of the three have recovered and returned home while one is still in the ICU in Butwal. Even now, 41 infected people are being treated at the hospital in Dang. He said that they may need intensive treatment at any time but they cannot be served without trained manpower.

There is equipment but due to lack of skilled manpower, treatment of patients is not possible immediately, said Dr. Sarvesh Sharma, Member Secretary of Corona Special Hospital. Sharma said that at least 30 trained health workers including three physicians, two anaesthetists, five medical officers, eight nursing staff, four lab technicians, and a pharmacist are needed to run the service. At present, there is no trained manpower in Corona Special Hospital.

Similarly, three ventilators and 10 ICU beds have been kept at Rapti Institute of Health Sciences. But apart from the inauguration, the patients have not received any treatment so far. Registrar of the foundation Ram Prasad Pyakurel said that the service was disrupted due to lack of manpower. There is one anaesthetist but one is not enough. Pyakurel said the foundation could not operate the service alone without government support.

The Province 5 Health Directorate has stated that the problem was caused due to the change in the fiscal year as the manpower has to be managed from COVID fund. Directorate’s spokesperson Roshan Lal Chaudhary said that manpower would be provided as soon as the proposal is approved as the proposal has been submitted to the concerned ministry.

Jaya Narayan Pun