In Janakpur, the ‘Hospital Inspection’ campaign led by Chief Minister of Province 2, Satish Kumar Singh, has resulted in the closure of 18 illegal hospitals. These closures were prompted by incidents of malpractice and negligence towards patients in private hospitals in the region, leading to loss of lives. Following public outcry over these incidents, Chief Minister Singh initiated an investigation that has so far led to the shutdown of 18 hospitals.
Accompanied by a team from the Ministry of Health and Population, Chief Minister Singh had been monitoring private hospitals that were operating without proper registration procedures since the previous week. According to Santosh Kumar Thakur, a member of the inspection committee and a public health official at the ministry, out of the 40 private hospitals inspected, only 9 were found to be operating legally, while the rest were running without adhering to required legal procedures.
Among the hospitals shut down in Janakpur were Muskan Hospital, Arman Hospital, Sahayog Hospital, Janakpur Modern Hospital, Maa Gayatri Memorial Hospital, Rama Memorial Hospital, Janakpur Sita Hospital, Bieen Hospital, Jyoti Eye Hospital, Janakpur Golden Hospital, Janakpur Madhesh Hospital, Life Care and Research Center, Neuro Center, Krishna Hospital, Janakpur Godavari Hospital, Janak Memorial Hospital, Geetashri ENT Specialty Clinic, and Janakpur Model Hospital.
In response to the closures, Ramesh Khatri, representing Kansai Nepal News, expressed that the actions taken by Chief Minister Singh to shut down these hospitals were necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of patients. He emphasized the importance of upholding legal standards in healthcare facilities to prevent incidents of malpractice and negligence that could endanger patients’ lives.
The inspection committee, led by Chief Minister Singh and Health and Population Minister Shatrudhan Prasad Singh, has decided to allow the 18 closed hospitals to resume operations only after completing the registration process. Thakur mentioned that 13 of these hospitals were given a two-month period for re-registration, while the remaining 5 hospitals were shut down due to operating without proper approvals.
The closure of these hospitals in Janakpur has highlighted the urgent need for stringent enforcement of healthcare regulations to prevent future incidents of patient exploitation. The incidents of patients being lured into illegal hospitals for treatment, where operations were carried out by unqualified personnel, have raised serious concerns about the state of healthcare in the region.
In a separate incident, a patient named Babita Kumari Yadav from Sarlahi faced a harrowing experience when she required urgent medical attention. After being mismanaged at a local hospital, she was eventually transferred to Kathmandu for further treatment, highlighting the deficiencies in healthcare services in rural areas.
The intervention of Chief Minister Singh in addressing the issues faced by patients like Babita reflects a commitment to improving healthcare services in the region. However, challenges remain in ensuring that all healthcare facilities meet the required standards to provide safe and effective treatment to patients.
As a representative of Kansai Nepal News, Ramesh Khatri acknowledges the importance of stringent enforcement of healthcare regulations and supports the actions taken by Chief Minister Singh to address the shortcomings in the healthcare system. He emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring and oversight to prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure the well-being of patients across the province.
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Author: MAYA | HARUTO
Posted at: February 20, 2025 12:03 am
