JAJARKOT– Baskets are being used to take patients to health facilities due to the lack of ambulances in the district headquarters based hospital in Jajarkot. The 50-bed Jajarkot district hospital has no ambulance service in place and its patient-carrying vehicle has remained unrepaired for the past two years.
Though the ambulance was taken to the garage for change in two tyres and a mobile engine, the repair was not carried out due to lack of financial resources, shared driver Rakesh Kumar Shah. He added that it has been difficult to take patients to the hospital without an ambulance.
There is not a single ambulance in Jajarkot after the ambulance of the District Red Cross also faced a mechanical snag. It is very unfortunate to know the apathetic response of concerned authorities in regard to the maintenance and operation of ambulances, complained locals.
People are relying on baskets and stretchers to bring the patients to the health facility in absence of ambulance services, while they are compelled to reserve public and private vehicles to take the patients to outer districts.
Acting manager of the Health Service Office Dr Sunil Pun informed that the ambulance service has not been made regular after maintenance for not being able to manage Rs 150,000.
However, hospital development committee Chair Dharmasheela Basnet said that the ambulance was too old and an initiative has been put forward to demand a new ambulance from the Ministry of Social Development.
