Hospital emergency and surgery services to continue through Dashain holidays

The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has directed hospitals to operate emergency, surgery, maternity and intensive care services without interruption throughout the Dashain holidays.

The ministry has asked provincial health ministries and all federal government hospitals to deploy the necessary staff. The directive states that hospitals must not be fully closed in the name of the holidays.

Hospitals must maintain adequate stocks of medicine, equipment, blood and blood products. Each hospital must designate a contact person to immediately address complaints from patients and service users.

Outpatient services at most government hospitals will remain closed during the public holidays from Fulpati to Kartik 7. Doctors, nurses and other health workers will be deployed on a rotating basis in emergency rooms and in wards for admitted patients.

Taplejung's Maiwakhola and Meringden rural municipalities have also assigned health workers responsibility for emergency and maternity services throughout the holidays. Maiwakhola alone has deployed nearly a dozen health workers.