BAJURA, MAY 11

Gaumul Rural Municipality, Bajura, has set up its own COVID hospital.

According to rural municipality Vice-chairperson Sita Thapa, a 15-bed COVID hospital has been brought into operation at the rural municipality office in Ghatmun.

"In view of increasing COVID cases across the country and possibility of more people contracting the virus, a COVID hospital has been brought into operation with 15 oxygen-equipped beds and the required human resources have also been managed," said the rural municipality's health Coordinator Harichandra BK.

Dr Rupesh Bati and his team has been assigned to care for patients at the hospital.

According to Dr Bati, one COVID patient is undergoing treatment in the COVID hospital now.

Further, the doctor informed that services to regular patients were also continuing from the hospital.

"More than 35 people visit the hospital every day. Most of them, who approach the hospital, suffer from various uterine complications, skin problems and asthma related ailments," he said.

While the rural municipality has made COVID treatment completely free, it has also made OPD service free. The hospital provides 110 types of medicines free. "As most of the persons who come to this hospital are poor, the free medicine and OPD service is meant for them," said the municipality's Chief Administrative Officer Jagadish Prasad Bhatta.

Operation of the hospital at the local level is in itself a great relief to the locals here, who otherwise have to go to the district hospital even for a minor ailment.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 12, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.