Minister’s emergency airlift lays bare healthcare gaps in Sudurpaschim
Summary
A minister’s emergency helicopter evacuation from Baitadi to Kathmandu has renewed criticism of Sudurpaschim’s fragile healthcare system. The province faces severe shortages of doctors, hospitals, medicines and basic maternal services, with women in labour still giving birth on roads in remote districts.
Key Points
- Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal was airlifted from Baitadi to Kathmandu after falling ill, triggering criticism over the use of state resources for a minor infection.
- The article details severe healthcare shortages in Sudurpaschim, including too few specialist doctors, limited hospital capacity and unreliable access to free medicines in remote areas.
- Women in Bajura and Bajhang have been forced to give birth on roads or after delayed transport, underscoring the province’s weak emergency and maternal care system.
- Sudurpaschim remains the only province without an operating medical college or health sciences institute, and it ranks poorly on child stunting and mortality indicators.
