Jan 02, Kathmandu - Pokhara Metropolitan City received a gift of an ambulance from its sister city, Linzhi Municipality of China, two years ago. However, the ambulance has since been stranded at the Rasuwa Customs premises due to unpaid customs duties. Despite the gift offer, Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality did not clear the ambulance, leading to it being corroded with rust and parts gathering dust over the past two years.

Linzhi Municipality had donated a Class 'K' equipped ambulance valued at approximately 2.5 crore Nepali Rupees to Pokhara. Such a facility is currently unavailable in Kaski District. Rudaradevi Sharma, Chief District Officer of Kaski and Coordinator of the District Ambulance Management Committee, confirmed that no Class 'K' ambulance services are available in the district.

Had the ambulance been imported, it would have been the first fully equipped ambulance of its kind in Kaski. Class 'K' ambulances are equipped with Advanced Life Support (ALS) facilities, requiring highly trained health professionals onboard. These ambulances are used to transport critically ill patients to hospitals while providing basic medical care en route. According to the Ambulance Service Directive 2082, such ambulances must carry 25 essential medical items to aid in saving lives.

Due to Nepalese customs procedures and the lack of timely clearance from Pokhara Customs, the ambulance gifted by China remains stuck at Rasuwa Customs, unused and deteriorating.