JUMLA, July 31: Until a couple of months ago, Dolpa District Hospital was struggling to provide even basic health care services due to lack of necessary medicines and health personnel.
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As they were aware of the problems, locals routinely traveled to places like Nepalgunj or Kathmandu, and sometimes as far as Lucknow of India, for treatment of common diseases.
But now, Dolpa locals no longer have to leave their district even for the treatment of severe illnesses as the district hospital has started providing special health care services two months ago.For example, the hospital carried out a successful surgery on Wednesday to remove tumor weighing 4 kg that was in the stomach of Jamuna Rokaya of Liku-3 of the district.
Locals frequently poked fun at Jamuna, 61, for having an abnormally big stomach, often accusing her of becoming pregnant from an illicit relationship. Jamuna's husband died in a landslide eight years ago. As she had no idea where to turn for help, she suffered from depression.
But when she learnt about the special health care services provided by Dolpa District Hospital on Wednesday, she walked five hours to reach the hospital, where she had a successful tumor removal surgery the same day.
"I suffered a lot because of this tumor. Now my happiness knows no bound," she said joyfully. "No one will accuse me of adultery from now onward."
The tumor surgery was performed at Dolpa District Hospital for the first time by a team of doctors led by Dr Niresh Thapa.
More than two dozen patients have benefited from big and small surgeries so far after the hospital initiated special service two months ago. At present, around 120 patients receive treatment from the OPD service of Dolpa District Hospital on a daily basis. More than 20 patients come for ultrasound service at the hospital.
The locals, who were full of complaints about the poor health care services in the past, now heap praises on the hospital, impressed by the improvement they have seen since a team of six doctors from Teaching Hospital of Jumla arrived at the hospital.
