Aug 20, Kathmandu - The task force has informed Karnali Chief Minister Mangal Bahadur Shahi about the severe shortage of doctors at Jajarkot District Hospital. Dharmashala Basnet, a member of the task force and former chairperson of the hospital management committee, urged the chief minister to send doctors immediately to address the crisis.

During the discussion, Province Assembly members Bedraj Singh and Kalyani Khadka, along with Dr. Sunil Poon, head of the health services office in Jajarkot, participated.

The 50-bed district hospital has been struggling to provide adequate medical services due to the lack of doctors, affecting daily treatment and patient care. Dr. Sunil Poon highlighted that the absence of sufficient medical staff has severely hampered healthcare delivery, especially as the number of patients seeking treatment continues to rise.

Chief Minister Shahi assured he is seriously considering the issue of doctor management at Jajarkot Hospital. Currently, only two hospitals in the region—Surkhet and Jajarkot—offer 50-bed facilities, but the shortage of doctors remains a critical problem.

The hospital's inability to attract enough medical professionals has led to disruptions in emergency and routine medical services. The recent increase in injuries and health issues among flood and landslide victims has further strained the hospital's capacity. Patients suffering from fever, cold, injuries, and other health problems are facing difficulties in receiving timely and effective treatment due to the staff shortage.

The lack of doctors has also impacted specialized consultations, regular health check-ups, and emergency services. Patients often have to wait long hours for basic treatment, compounding their hardships.

For residents in remote areas of Jajarkot, the doctor shortage poses an additional challenge in accessing healthcare services. With the risk of floods and landslides rising, there is an urgent demand to enhance doctor and healthcare worker deployment in the district.

Healthcare professionals warn that the patient influx could increase further during disasters, and without immediate staffing solutions, providing quality healthcare to affected citizens will become even more difficult.

Local residents and health workers have called on the provincial and federal governments to ensure the appointment of doctors as per the staffing plan and to provide regular specialist services. They emphasize that temporary measures to increase medical personnel are essential, especially during emergencies, to prevent the healthcare system from collapsing under pressure.