KHOTANG: The government had long ago established the health posts in rural Khotang, but failed to provide health personnel to man those health institutions.

Sixteen health posts in the district are now without health workers.

Since their founding, Aiselukharka Primary Health Post and Chisapani Primary health posts are devoid of health staffs.

This brings one to conclude that local residents are untouched by basic health care services and they risk their lives.

Maniram Dhakal, a staffer at the DPHO, acknowledged serious lapses in government's policy and programmes which he said had largely been responsible for the present state of affairs at the health posts.

He said that the situation in Dumredharapani, Badkadiyale, Mahesowri, Kharpa, Bamrang, Khartamchha, Chiuridanda and Nerpa is critical as there is none to treat patients.

He said that in some health posts, assistant health workers are performing the tasks of doctors and ANM.

“Patients who need AHW, are being treated by midwives,” Dhakal further said.

Strange though it sounds, DPHO had dispatched doctor Najala Khatun to the Chisapani Primary Health Center but he is yet to arrive at the health center.

Similarly, the whereabouts of Rabindra Shrestha, an MBBS by profession, who was deputed to Aiselukharka Health Center, is unknown.

Shrestha and Khatun are not the only cases of doctors absconding their assigned duty, scores of other health staffers, who had long been assigned to different health posts, have yet to arrive at their offices, Dhakal said.

“Many locals have lost their lives, untimely, as they could not avail of proper treatment,” Chairman of Janakalyan Samaj Kahule, Kumar Rai, said.

“No health staffers are wanting to stay in the health centers,” Rai said, adding, '' I had to take my son all the way to Dharan for treatment as there was none in the local health post.''

Secretary of Badkadiya VDC Kumar Phuyal has blamed on the government for the untimely death of poor and hapless citizens living in this far-flung district .