KATHMANDU, Nov 1 - This is Patan Mental Hospital in Lalitpur district. The grass has grown up to the knees in the premises. The dry leaves, twigs and branches of recently chopped up trees are scattered at the entrance. The dust is piling up on the floor. There is no water in the water tap. And mentally retarded people are seen sunbathing outside the building and enjoying free water from the open well by the side of the building.
Dr Kapil Dev Upadhyaya, director at the hospital said, "We have only one gardener and he is doing his best."
He also said the hospital faces challenges providing services to patients due to lack of human resources.
Dr Upadhyaya has been working both as doctor and director at the hospital, which has a government quota of four senior psychiatrists.
The hospital is facing shortage of nurses and matrons also. The posts of two sisters (officer level) and one senior matron, who deals with staff management in the hospital have remained vacant for the past several months.
"We have problem in nursing management," said Dr Upadhyaya. "If the vacant posts are fulfilled, we can provide specialized services to patients."
He also said only three senior psychiatrists who work under the Ministry of Health are now serving in Pokhara, Biratnagar and Nepalgunj.
"If we bring them to Kathmandu, the regional hospitals will have no senior psychiatrists to deal with patients," he said.
The hospital has 50 beds and provides almost free medicine and services, including beds and food. It has not been able to provide emergency service due to shortage of human resources.
The hospital director said he needs three more doctors, three assistant health workers, three guards, besides financial assistance of Rs 1.1 million to manage emergency service.
"If we get any case after 2 pm, we return them as we don't have enough human resources," he said. Since the water taps don't work, he said, the hospital is compelled to buy water every day.
Creating further challenges for the hospital, the number of patients visiting the hospital is increasing yearly.
A total of 22,683 patients visited the hospital 's OPD in 2004/05 whereas 23,028 people visited it in 2005/06, according to statistics provided by the hospital.
The Kathmandu Post
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