KHOTANG: Free treatment services, including uterine prolapse surgery, have officially started at the District Hospital in Khotang, ending the long-standing compulsion for women to travel to Kathmandu, Biratnagar, or Banepa for care.

Hospital Chief Dr Amitabh Thakur said two women were successfully treated immediately after the launch, noting that many had long suffered in silence due to the absence of a gynecologist in the district.

The hospital has also introduced cervical cancer screening and treatment, infertility services, and repeat cesarean sections. Chairman San Bahadur Rai said specialist doctors have been deployed with support from the ministry to ensure long-term services.

Previously, women from all 10 local units were referred outside the district, with municipalities covering travel, food, accommodation, and treatment costs. Local governments had even transported groups of women to hospitals such as Scheer Memorial in Banepa for free surgery. Officials say the new in-district service will ease financial burdens, expand access, and prevent avoidable maternal health risks.