Delayed hospital projects leave Jumla villages without care

The promise of improved healthcare in remote Jumla villages is being severely undermined by persistent and extensive delays in hospital construction projects. Residents of areas like Kanakasundari and Tila Rural Municipalities are left without essential medical services, forcing them to undertake arduous journeys for treatment, a situation that directly contradicts the federal plan to enhance local healthcare access.

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The building should have been ready within three years, but there has been little progress.

In Kanakasundari, a 15-bed hospital, initiated with community land donations and significant contractor payments, has languished for nearly six years past its expected completion. The project's stagnation, attributed to contractor negligence and weak oversight by the rural municipality, has disheartened locals who sacrificed land in anticipation of better health services. While efforts are reportedly underway to expedite the stalled work, the prolonged delay has already had a significant impact on the community's well-being.

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We gave land in the hope of better health services, but the project has stalled.

Similarly, Tila Rural Municipality faces delays with its 10-bed hospital, funded by the federal government. Although now in its final construction phase, issues with federal budget releases and subsequent contract extensions have pushed back the completion date. These projects are part of a larger initiative to establish 42 hospitals across Karnali Province, aiming to bring healthcare closer to the people. However, the current reality in Jumla starkly illustrates the implementation challenges and the critical need for more efficient project management and monitoring to ensure these vital facilities become operational.

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The project had been abandoned for some time, and the contractor was not even in contact.