Chitwan Medical College (CMC) Teaching Hospital has announced that it will keep treatment services running with specialist doctors throughout the Dashain holidays, ensuring that patients in Chitwan and surrounding districts can receive medical care even as the country celebrates its biggest festival. According to hospital director Prof. Dr. Gopendra Dev, the hospital will provide all types of services through its emergency department for four days, from Kartik 2 to Kartik 5, the period stretching from Ashtami to Ekadashi during the Bada Dashain festival. The commitment means that the emergency wing will not only stay open but will be staffed with specialist doctors at a time when many institutions across Nepal scale down or close altogether for the holidays.
Four days of uninterrupted specialist care
The announcement, reported by RatoPati and Khabarhub, makes clear that the hospital's decision covers the most important days of the festival calendar. The four-day window begins on Ashtami and runs through Navami, the main day of Vijaya Dashami itself, and ends on Ekadashi, corresponding to Kartik 2 through Kartik 5 in the Nepali calendar.
Prof. Dr. Dev said the services are being operated during these special days of Bada Dashain specifically so that patients can receive care when they need it. That distinction matters for people in the region, because the days surrounding Dashain typically involve long-distance travel, large family gatherings and disrupted daily routines, all of which can make it difficult for patients to reach a hospital or find a facility operating at full capacity. By confirming in advance that specialists will be available, the hospital has removed uncertainty for patients who might otherwise postpone treatment until after the holidays.
The decision also carries weight for patients with conditions that cannot wait for a festival to end, including those who develop sudden complications, suffer injuries or require urgent consultation during the celebration period. Knowing that specialist services will run continuously from Ashtami to Ekadashi allows families in Chitwan to plan accordingly and seek help immediately rather than delaying care.
Supporting services to run as usual
A key element of the announcement is that the emergency department will not be functioning in isolation. According to the hospital, other essential departments will also operate on a regular schedule throughout the four-day period, which significantly strengthens the level of care the hospital can deliver during the holidays.
Services that will remain open
- Emergency services with specialist doctors available for all four days, from Kartik 2 to Kartik 5
- Radiology services, allowing imaging and diagnostics to continue without interruption
- Laboratory services, so that tests can be carried out and results obtained during the festival
- Inpatient services, meaning patients who need admission can be treated and monitored as normal
The coordination of these departments is what gives the announcement practical value. Emergency care often depends on timely diagnostics, and keeping radiology and the laboratory running means doctors can investigate and treat patients rather than simply stabilising them and deferring tests until after the festival. Similarly, the continued operation of inpatient services ensures that patients who require admission during Ashtami to Ekadashi can be looked after without being transferred elsewhere or sent home prematurely.
Festival-season health reminder
The hospital's announcement comes alongside a broader public health message during the festival period. As reported by Nepal Press, doctors have advised people to avoid food-related problems during festivals, a caution that is particularly relevant at a time of abundant feasting, rich foods and irregular eating routines.
That advisory underscores why the availability of specialist care during Dashain matters. Health complaints linked to food and changing routines do not observe holidays, and patients who develop such problems during the peak festival days can now turn to CMC Teaching Hospital knowing that specialists, diagnostics and admission facilities are all functioning. For people managing existing conditions, the combination of continued hospital services and doctors' festival-season advice offers a practical path to staying well through the celebrations.
Reassurance for patients across Chitwan
For residents of Chitwan and neighbouring areas, the hospital's commitment provides clarity at a moment when access to healthcare can otherwise become unpredictable. Instead of guessing whether a particular department is open, patients and their families have a concrete assurance: from Kartik 2 to Kartik 5, spanning Ashtami to Ekadashi, specialist-led treatment will be available through the emergency department, with radiology, laboratory and inpatient care operating alongside it.
The move also reflects the reality that medical needs continue through festivals, even as much of normal public life pauses. By keeping its full range of essential services in operation during Bada Dashain, Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital has positioned itself as a dependable point of care during the holiday period, and its director's public commitment signals that patients should not hesitate to seek treatment during the festival days if their health requires it.
