A hospital is to be constructed in Chandragiri Municipality, Ward 4, Thankot to provide obstetrics and gynecology and other specialist services. For this, the German Development Bank 9KFW will provide financial and technical assistance of Rs. 1 billion to the Ministry of Health and Population.
A preliminary agreement has recently been reached between the ministry, city chief Ghanshyam Giri and the bank’s representatives. According to the agreement, the hospital will be completed within four years. The Ministry and KFW have finalized the detailed project report (DPR) in coordination with the municipality. Mayor Giri said, “As soon as the work of DPR is completed, the work of building infrastructure will move forward. The municipality provides necessary assistance and coordination to build the hospital within the stipulated time. We make the hospital excellent in manpower, equipment, and infrastructure in this area. The municipality is committed to providing quality and accessible health services easily desired by the city dwellers.”
The hospital will provide special facilities to the residents of Thankot, Dahachowk, Naikap, NayaBhanjyang, Wad Bhanjyang, Balambu, Mahadevsthan, Tinthana, Satangal, Matatirtha, Machhegaun, and Naikap Old Bhanjyang in the southwestern part of Kathmandu district. Residents of Dhading, Makwanpur, and Nuwakot are also expected to be provided with specialist medical services.
The hospital will be run under the Thapathali-based altruistic obstetrics and gynecology hospital. A 15-bed hospital has come into operation in Chandragiri-4 Thankot from 11 May 2019. The hospital is providing excellent services including laboratory, emergency services, and birthing centers. Medical Officer at the hospital, Dr. Hemnath Sharma, informed that the hospital has been providing free services to specialist heart disease services, family planning services, senior citizens, the poor and the disabled. He said that he has recently received a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 and a certificate from the municipality for his excellent performance.”
Exemplary efforts in epidemic control
The municipality had provided excellent service to save the city dwellers from the epidemic of Covid-19. Mayor Giri said, “In the early days of the epidemic, the work of corona inspection and disinfecting of the means of transport started at Nagdhunga, the main entry point of the valley.” This helped reduce corona risk. We kept all the health facilities in the city in a state of readiness. Holding centers were set up at four places to provide services. The municipality assisted the Armed Police Force Hospital Balambu in collecting the swabs. Max, distributing sanitizers to inform the city dwellers to follow the public health standards. This helped control the corona. ” According to the health department of the municipality, the municipality has provided free testing of 10 thousand 375 including antigen and PCR. Of the 8,587 corona-positive cases in the city so far, 8,400 have been cured and 100 are in home isolation.
During the first and second waves of the epidemic, the municipality also provided free services through its ambulance. Recently, the municipality has been conducting a door-to-door campaign to vaccinate against corona. Mayor Giri said, “I have made it a high priority to make the vaccine against corona accessible to all city dwellers.” Vaccination service is being provided in health posts, schools, and hospitals of all wards. I inspect the vaccination center every day. There is no shortage of vaccines.” He himself was infected with corona.
The municipality has also allocated Rs. 400,000 for the promotion of health in all 15 wards through the local budget. It is said that Chandragiri was the first to allocate such a budget. Chief Administrative Officer Neeraj Poudel informed that the municipality has taken a policy of increasing investment in health services.
According to Jagadishwari Awasthi Pandey, senior AHW of the health branch of the municipality, the municipality has been providing health services through 10 health posts including one urban health center and one hospital. These health facilities also have laboratory facilities as per government standards. He said, “The position of Chandragiri municipality is strong in the overall health index.”
Karuna Thapa
