Humla, January 17

Though Bhawana Budha, of remote Maila VDC, Humla, gave birth at local Maila Health Post four months ago, she is yet to receive her allowance and bag of warm clothes.

Similar is the plight of Ramila Jaishi of the locality.

Despite giving birth at the health post, she has not been provided with the government-allocated incentive of warm clothes and allowance meant for women who give birth at health facilities.

Authorities at the health post said they could not provide the new mothers with the allowance as the incentive was yet to reach the health facility.

Bhawana and Ramila are just a few cases. Many new mothers of the VDC, who gave birth in the past one year, have not been provided with the allowance and bag warm of clothes.

“Though it has been a year that the health post started parturition service, it is yet to distribute the incentives,” said local women.

As per the government provision, a new mother is provided with Rs 1,500 and Rs 400 is provided to pregnant women if they visit health facilities for four consecutive times.

A bag of warm clothes is also provided if the mother gives birth at a health facility in the himalayan districts.

The government of Nepal introduced a bag containing a gown for the mother, cap and warm inner clothes for the newborn since December last year.

The idea was implemented aiming to encourage rural women to visit health facilities for parturition service. The concept ensures safe delivery of babies and good health of the mothers.

According to statistics at the health post, as many as 78 women gave birth within one year at the heath post. Devilal Sunar, In-charge of the health post, said new mothers were deprived of the incentives as the District Health Office failed to dispatch the same.

“Though we frequented the DHO and appealed for the incentives, it has fallen on deaf ears. We have provided other services except the allowance and warm bags of clothes,” said Assistant Nursing Mid-wife Junila Khokaling.

Information Officer at District Health Office Humla Naresh Shrestha, however, claimed that his office had deposited the budget for the incentives in the health post’s bank account.

He added that they were yet to dispatch the bags of warm clothes due to transportation problem.