BAITADI: Almost all health care centres in Baitadi district have witnessed a shortage of medicines due to delayed process of drug procurement.

Officials at the health centres, which have been handed over to the local government, said that there is a shortage of drug in their stores.

Health Assistant of Kesharpur Primary Health Centre in Melauli, Mukesh Dayal, said that the health centres in Shivanath Rural Municipality and Pancheshwor Rural Municipality are facing a crisis of medicines to be distributed free of cost to the locals.

However, Health Coordinator at Shivanath Rural Municipality, Jagdish Bhatta, shared that the process for drug procurement has been initiated.

Ramsingh Khatri, Health Coordinator of Dilashaini Rural Municipality stated that shortage of medicine was the result of delayed supply though it is expected in every quarter. 'The crisis of medicines to be distributed for free is inevitable if they are not purchased before Dashain festival,' Khatri added.

Same is the case with Purchaudi Municipality. Health Coordinator at the municipality, Binod Kumar Kunwar, shared that procurement of medicines was not possible immediately because the health sector programmes were not approved so far.

Likewise, Chief of District Public Health Office, Dr Jagdish Chandra Bista, shared the same story adding that sufficient stock of drugs was not available even at the district hospital because the drug procurement process was not started on time.