Dr. Bamshidhar Mishra is a multitalented personality. He is not only a medical professional but also an active figure in politics and hospital management. Mishra, the former health minister, is serving as a Managing Director in the Manamohan Hospital, Thamel, Kathmandu. Considering his multidimensional life, a team of Health Times talked to Mishra about the driving force in his life and how he is managing to handle seemingly opposing careers in health and politics. 

Excerpts:

What motivated you into health sector?
I got a strong motivation to contribute to people’s health during my stay in Humla about three decades ago. Then I was serving as a health assistant and before that I had already served the people of Bara and Humla. Those times were so important. The poor health condition multiplied by the low economic reality of the people of Humla district forced me to do something for the good health of the people of the lower rung of the society. Thereafter, I joined MBBS in 1986 (2042 BS) and achieved it in 1992 (2048 BS)

Does it mean that your experience in Humla led you to establish Manamohan Hospital?
Personally, yes. I always wanted to be creative. There were other friends who shared my political ideology and who also wished to establish a hospital in the name of great leader Manamohan Adhikari and serve the ailing. Following several discussions, we established the hospital with 300 beds and began to run from mid-May 2006 (Jestha 1, 2063 BS).

What is the main aim of the hospital?
In a nutshell, our main objective is to offer the best alternative for the quality treatment of the middle and lower class people in the private health sector. We are proud of the name of the hospital, Manamohan Memorial Hospital. The name itself attracts the people. We are service oriented. Hospital charges are minimum compared to other private hospitals. Because of high charge, most of the beds of private hospitals are always without patients. The situation is very different in ours. Beds in our hospitals are always packed and patients seem to be ready to wait for six months even for minor surgery.

How much of your aim have you achieved?
Yes, we have achieved a great success in a short period. Our aim is going to be fulfilled. We are increasing beds. We have started to construct a big building in Swoyambhu. It is going to be a 300-bed hospital there and it will take a year to complete. Our aim is to enlarge the hospital making it a hospital with 700 beds. One day we will be a model in the hospital sector. 

Hospitals are business oriented rather than service. What is your view?
Yes, most private hospitals are being operated for doing business rather than for providing service. People have to pay handsome money even for minor checkups. However, we are different. You can look at the check up fee at our hospital, charge for beds and others services. Patients are satisfied with our services. The hospital does not belong to a person. Instead it is run by cooperative limited which also runs an Institute of Health Science. We have Manamohan Memorial Institute of Health Science in Nakhu, Lalitpur.

Are you starting MBBS classes in the Institute?
We are in the process. Recently we got an interim letter for running classes of MBBS. We are busy in building necessary physical infrastructure for 100 seats. From 2010, we will start the MBBS classes.

Did you face any obstacles to get the letter of recommendation from Nepal Medical Council and Ministry of Health?
We have heard about that but we have did not face any great difficulties. It might be due to two former ministers including Rajendra Pandey being in the board of the institute. But we had to wait for a long time to get the letter.

How do you feel about your career as a politician and a doctor?
I am proud of being a politician as well as a health professional. Both careers are helping each other for my progress. As a doctor, I treat illness of the people while as a politician I try to heal and serve the nation.

Some people say Manamohan Memorial Hospital belongs to a political party, CPN-UML. Is that true?
No. The hospital is in the name of leader of CPN-UML. But Manamohan Adhikari is the leader of the nation. The whole nation respects him as a leader who devoted his life for Nepal. We are proud of the name of the hospital. But it does not mean that the hospital belongs to CPN-UML only. It is the hospital of every patient who need best care and cure. The doctors, nurses and administrators of the hospital are not only those who respect the ideology of UML but also from other ideology. The patients who admit here come from shades of different ideology. It is wrong to label the hospital as belonging to a particular party. There are hospitals and medical institutes in the name of Nepali Congress leader B.P. Koirala. But they do not belong to Congress and are not only for those who stand for capitalism.

Is it true that your hospital gives discount to people from Rautahat and Dhading only?
No, it is wrong. I am from Rautahat and board president Rajendra Pandey comes from Dhading. So people might have a wrong conception that we provide concession to people from our respective districts. But we have schemes to provide discount. 10% discount is only for poor and elder. We have 3 beds free for senior. 

Is your hospital facing insecurity?
The whole medical sector as well as nation is facing insecurity. We are not unique in that situation. Like others, we are also having security challenges. Yet, the government is not serious to provide sufficient security.

Does the hospital have insurance?
We have insured for some hospital materials and are planning to insure hospital itslef. Some of the doctors have also got insurance.