NEPALGUNJ, July 20: Radiotherapy services at Sushil Koirala Prakhar Cancer Hospital (SKPCH) in Khajura have been suspended for nearly three months after the hospital's LINAC (linear accelerator) machine stopped functioning. As a result, cancer patients requiring daily radiotherapy have been forced to seek treatment at hospitals in India.
The suspension of radiotherapy services has had the greatest impact on patients from western Nepal, particularly those from Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim provinces. The hospital used to treat more than 25 radiotherapy patients every day. Since the machine broke down, however, patients have had no option but to travel to Indian cities such as Bahraich, Lucknow, and Delhi for treatment. Sushil Koirala Prakhar Cancer Hospital is the primary government cancer treatment center serving patients from Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim.
According to hospital officials, the machine remains unrepaired because the hospital lacks the technical personnel needed to fix it. It is also unclear when radiotherapy services will resume, as the supplier has refused to carry out repairs, citing unpaid dues.
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Hospital officials say the outstanding payment was withheld because the machine's specifications—particularly its HS code and country of origin—did not match those stated in the purchase agreement. The supplier, in turn, declined to send technicians to repair the machine until the remaining payment is made.
Executive Director Dr. Niraj Bhattarai said discussions with the Ministry of Health and Population regarding the operation of the LINAC machine are ongoing, and the Ministry has been approached to help resolve the issue. He expressed hope that the machine would resume operation once the Ministry makes the necessary decisions, adding that the Ministry has already been informed about the difficulties faced by patients whose radiotherapy treatment has been disrupted.
Hospital Information Officer Dr. Praveen Gupta said the hospital has requested the Ministry to deploy technicians to repair the machine. He added that the hospital has also sought additional technical personnel for its radiology department and is working to resume radiotherapy services as soon as possible.
The LINAC machine, which arrived at the hospital nearly three years ago, became operational only three months after its installation due to a dispute over its procurement. According to the hospital, the supplier sent a technician to activate the machine only after the then Executive Director, Dr. Prakash Prasad Sah, assured that the payment would be made.
During Dr. Bhattarai's tenure as executive director, an investigation committee formed under the Ministry found discrepancies between the HS code and country of origin listed in the purchase agreement and those recorded in the customs documents. The committee submitted its report to the Ministry, stating that the machine's quality could only be assessed after it became operational. Although the machine was activated based on that recommendation, the Ministry did not make a decision regarding the discrepancies, leading to the remaining payment being withheld.
According to the hospital, it has already paid 60 percent of the cost of the machine, which was procured under a contract worth more than Rs 270 million. The outstanding amount yet to be paid is USD 806,000.
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