Purbanchal Hospital's CT scan machine awaiting permission to run

An abdominal computed tomography scan machine at Purbanchal Hospital in Birtamod, Jhapa has remained unused for the past year as the hospital has yet to acquire permission to run it. As a result, patients visiting the hospital are forced to go elsewhere or to India often paying a high cost for treatment.

The Ministry of Health and Population granted the hospital permission to purchase the machine, but it has yet to permit to operate it, said the hospital director Dr Birendra Yadav.

"The government said it requires necessary laws in this regard, which have not been made so far. We are waiting for permission to run it," he said, adding that as a result, the hospital is forced to return hundreds of patients visiting the hospital empty-handed. Environmental impact assessment has been also passed to run the machine, he said.

"The Ministry a year ago has told that a new act is needed for its operation. The machine maybe dysfunctional if left unused for long. So we operate just to ensure the machine does not go dysfunctional," said the hospital chair Durga Prasad Prasain. The machine was purchased at around Rs 700 million.