KATHMANDU: More than 70 per cent of total employees at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) were found absent during first hour of office time today.

Bhabindra Karki, press advisor to health minister, informed that Minister for Health and Population Uma Kanta Chaudhary today conducted a 'surprise check' at most of the departments under MoHP. During the first hour check out, the minister was taken by surprise to find that most of the employees were missing conspicuously disregarding their duty.

The check was done after the ministry received a flurry of complaints from the general people citing an inordinate delay in their work.