Himalayan News Service

Dhankuta, January 24:

The health sector in the district has been severely affected by the ongoing Maoist conflict, observers said.

They said the Maoists’ failure to comply with the Geneva Convention, despite their repeated commitment, was responsible for the deteriorating situation of the sector in the region.

Maoist ban on community development projects in several VDCs launched by the Nepal Red Cross Society, Dhankuta, has violated the convention, the society said.

It said Swedish Red Cross Society had supported the project.

Similarly, the Community Health Service Centre has postponed its programmes in Maunabudhuk, Khuwaphok and Phakshiv VDCs.

The programmes were aimed at creating awareness among the locals on diarrhoea and respiratory diseases.

The Maoists sent back the health workers who had reached the area to organise seminars on the programmes, centre president Ram Bahadur Shrestha said.

He added the Maoists banned the programme saying food was more important at present than health.

In May, the Maoists had even set on fire an ambulance run by the Jalpa Devi Community Library, Pakhribas, for defying their bandh.