BAJURA: Two rural municipalities in Bajura district have started operating 10-bed basic hospitals.

Jagannath Rural Municipality and Gaumul Rural Municipality have begun providing health care services despite shortages of medical staff, medicines and equipment.

Gaumul Rural Municipality brought its 10-bed basic hospital into operation about one and a half years ago after the completion of the facility. Rural Municipality Chairman Hari Bahadur Rokaya inaugurated the hospital services on Wednesday.

Chairman Rokaya said it took longer to start hospital services because of delays in arranging electricity, medicines, equipment and human resources, even though construction of the facility had been completed.

He said the rural municipality has now arranged the necessary infrastructure and staff to provide basic health services. However, the hospital currently lacks a medical officer.

The 10-bed hospital built at Juddi was constructed at a cost of Rs 117.8 million and has been in operation for more than two years.

The rural municipality’s Acting Chief Administrative Officer, Rabindra Bahadur Shahi, said the hospital is operating despite shortages of health workers and equipment. He said the post of a medical officer has remained vacant since March 2026.

With the new health services available locally, residents of Gaumul are expected to have easier access to basic health care and treatment for minor illnesses and will no longer need to travel to the district headquarters in Martadi for such services.

The other local governments in Bajura have yet to bring their basic hospitals into operation, although two rural municipalities in the district have already done so.

Badimalika Municipality has completed construction of a 10-bed hospital and is preparing to start services soon.

Meanwhile, construction of a 15-bed hospital in Budhiganga has remained stalled for five years, while hospital facilities in other local governments are still under construction.