Birendranagar, Nov. 12 -- year-old Prem Bahadur Chaudhary from ward 10 of Birendranagar Municipality, Surkhet, makes a tiring journey to Nepalgunj in Lumbini province just to buy the medicines that keep him alive. A patient of sickle cell anaemia since 2016, Prem says he has never found consistent access to treatment in Birendranagar, the provincial capital of Karnali.

"There are hospitals everywhere in Birendranagar, but none provide the medicines I need," Prem complained. "Since my diagnosis, I've been travelling to Nepalgunj for checkups and medicines. The travel and lodging cost more than the medicines themselves."

The problem is not his alone. All patients diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia in Surkhet must travel to Bheri Hospital ...