The hospital’s ambulance purchased five years ago has been left at Pokhara-based repair centre for repair. “The repair centre said it would cost Rs 500,000 to repair the ambulance. But the hospital lacks budget to pay for the repair fee,” said the hospital Chief Dr Buddhi Bahadur Thapa.

Kushma Municipality and Western Regional Health Directorate have been written time and again asking for budget for the repair, but to no avail so far, said Raghu Nath Regmi of the hospital development committee.  

As a result, the hospital is facing difficulty to refer patients elsewhere, said Thapa, adding that it receives approximately 100 patients on a daily basis. Taxies are being used to refer patients from the hospital charging higher fee, said a hospital employee.