Chitwan. It is expected that it will be easier and quicker to bring the injured to Bharatpur for treatment of the accident along the Muglin-Malekhu road section of the Prithvi Highway. As the Narayangadh-Muglin road is easy, Bharatpur can be reached faster than Kathmandu in terms of distance.

Bharatpur-based Federal Hospital Bharatpur has established a trauma centre. At the same time, two medical colleges and small hospitals are also equipped to treat the injured. The Bharatpur hospital has 20 orthopaedic surgeons and 21 general surgeons. According to the medical superintendent of the hospital, Prof Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel, there is no shortage of equipment including CT scan and MRI.

Along with this, complex treatment of heart and nerves is done here. Similarly, Chitwan Medical College and College of Medical Sciences have also kept the necessary equipment and human resources ready for the treatment of the injured. Doctors say that timely treatment can save the injured.

Chief of the emergency department Prof Dr Dayaram Lamsal, who is also the director of the Chitwan Medical College, said that the time taken within one hour of the accident is termed as ‘golden hour’. “The wounded should be sent to the nearest place in terms of distance and convenience,” he said. According to him, in recent days, it is believed that health workers should be taken to hospitals in ambulances.

According to Bharatpur Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Prof Dr Poudel, those injured will be sent to Kathmandu due to mofussil psychology. The injured have to cross uphill and difficult roads to take a long distance while transporting the injured along the Muglin-Malekhu road to Kathmandu while the shorter and easier road to reach Bharatpur.

The injured are rushed to a local hospital and then sent to Kathmandu. Assistant Chief District Officer of Dhading, Mohan Prasad Neupane, said that the issue has not been paid to the rescue works while the other side is managing the rescue works.

Poshnath Adhikari, who has been living in Dhading for long, said the Narayangadh-Muglin road section which is difficult and injured was referred to Kathmandu and this practice is being followed even now. According to him, the injured are taken to a nearby hospital. In this way, the injured end up in the hospitals of Mulekhu and Gajuri. According to him, as the distance from there to Kathmandu is getting shorter, they feel comfortable there.