Nepal

Bajura PHC treats patients under constant landslide threats

Bajura PHC treats patients under constant landslide threats

By Prakash Singh

FILE: A building of Kolti Primary Health Centre in Bajura district damaged by landslides in May-June last year. The health centre still operates under the continuous threat of landslides. Photo: Prakash Singh

BAJURA: With the start of the monsoon, Kolti Primary Health Centre (PHC) said that it has been treating patients amid increasing threats of floods and landslides. Landslides in May-June last year had destroyed two of the PHC buildings and its compound wall. Only after Nepal Police, Nepal Army and locals jointly cleared the rubble, the health facility had resumed its services in another unaffected building. There were no worries till winter, but as the monsoon started, patients are being treated amid a fear of another mishap, PHC Acting Head, Senior Assistant Health Worker Ashok Kumar Yadav said. A patient, Mamata Budha from Sappata, was admitted at the facility few days ago. But, she is being treated at a hotel room to avoid any potential disaster. The Centre said all patients of maternity-related cases are treated at the Centre itself during the daytime, but at night they are shifted to a nearby hotel. It has rented a room to put their medicines, fridges and other equipment. But with no any room to treat patients, the situation is still tense. The Health Centre that serves 11 VDCs of the district along with some villages of Mugu and Humla districts receives more than 100 patients on a daily basis. Last year, Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam and the then Ministry for Industry Karna Bahadur Thapa had inspected the health facility and pledged to work for the reconstruction. But no progress is seen in that regard till the date, Health Management Committee Chief and VDC Secretary Ramadatta Neupane stated. Notwithstanding repeated appeals to relocate the Health Centre, no any action has been prompted neither from the regional level nor from central level, Nath informed.