Jajarkot, December 23

Works has begun to implement the plan of building 170 basic health centres in Karnali Province within the next two years.

Locals are happy to see the commencement of work. “Once the works get completed, Karnali folks, primarily of remote areas, will be freed from the compulsion of walking for the entire day to visit a nearby health facility,” said Tej Bahadur Singh of Nalgad Municipality-8, Jajarkot.

The plan is being implemented with the joint initiative of the federal government and local governments.

Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality Chair Tasi Tundup Gurung said that people of Upper Dolpa who are bearing the brunt of lack of health facilities in their localities are glad to see the commencement of work.

The Ministry of Health and Population has ensured budget for construction of health facilities in Jajarkot, Dolpa, Kalikot, Mugu and Humla districtse. The ministry has also managed human resources required for such health institutions.

Minister of State for Health and Population Nawaraj Rawat said Karnali folks have long been forced to endure several health issues due to lack of health facilities at easily accessible locations. “The new programme is expected to address such issues to some extent,” he said.

The process has been initiated to set up 44 primary healthcare centres in Jajarkot, 39 in Dolpa, 52 in Kalikot, 22 in Mugu and 13 in Humla. The ministry has also allocated budget for repair and maintenance of primary health posts in Rukum, Surkhet, Salyan, Dailekh, Jumla districts.

Similarly, a 15-bed hospital will be built in each constituency in the district.

Work related to government’s policy to build one health post in each ward has picked up pace. The headway to building health post in 2,590 wards across the country was made with the approval of the procedure related to building ‘one health post in one ward’ last fiscal.