Jajarkot, May 15 Garkhakot Primary Health Centre in Junichande Rural Municipality, Jajarkot, has been running without doctors for the last one year. The health facility, which was established 30 years ago, is facing shortage of doctors after Medical Officer Dr Pawan Shakya’s application for one-year study leave was sanctioned. Many patients from remote areas are facing a hard time due to unavailability of doctors at the health centre. Junichande Rural Municipality Chair Krishna KC said the health centre was facing operational difficulties after the Department of Health Service sanctioned Dr Shakya’s leave without providing any alternative. Dr Shakya had been deployed to the health centre three years ago. “Health services have been badly affected for the last one year,” he added. Lokendra Shahi, a local, said many villagers had been deprived of health services. He further said the posts of a doctor, a staff nurse, and a lab assistant had been vacant at the hospital for long, but the authorities concerned had failed to fill the posts. “A well-equipped lab has been set up at the centre, but it has not come into operation due to lack of lab assistant,” Shahi informed. Garkhakot Primary Health Centre is not the only health facility that is running without doctors. In fact, three dozen health facilities, including Jajarkot District Hospital, are facing shortage of doctors and health workers in the district. Meanwhile, Acting Chief at District Public Health Office, Jajarkot, Ram Pukar Sah said that the authorities concerned did not heed their problems despite their frequent requests to appoint the required number of health workers to run health facilities in the district.