Cancer patients forced to visit India after medical equipment conks out at a local hospital

Nepalgunj, July 19: Radiotherapy service, an essential facility for treatment of cancer patients, has been disrupted for nearly three months at the Sushil Koirala Prakhar Cancer Hospital in Banke. The service is off-limits after medical equipment, linear accelerator (LINAC), failed to function.

Patients, especially from western belt of the country- Lumbini, Karnali and the Sudurpaschim Provinces- have been bearing the brunt of disruption in service. More than 25 patients were receiving radiotherapy services at the hospital every day, but after the machine conked out, they were forced to go to hospitals in Indian cities such as Baharaich, Lucknow and Delhi for treatment.