Bajura, January 27

The District Health Office, Humla has recently dispatched a team to Maila village after a report about the plight of new mothers, who were deprived of incentives and basic vaccines, was carried by this daily a few days ago.

According to information officer Naresh Shrestha at DHO, a four-member team led by administration chief Shankar Bhattarai had left for the village to study the situation there. “The news of local women being deprived of delivery incentives and basic vaccines has drawn our attention. Hence, the team went to take stock of the situation in the village,” he said, adding that preparations were under way to release necessary budget to Maila Health Post to ensure distribution of cash and other incentives meant for new mothers.

“For the parturition incentives and Nyano Jhola (bag of warm clothes for new mothers and their babies), we have deposited Rs 163,000 in the health post’s account today itself while the vaccines will also reach the village soon,” Shrestha said.

Maila Health Post Assistant Health Worker Devilal Sunar confirmed the team’s arrival at the health post, saying the team was studying the situation there. “Though we’ve been witnessing such problems much too often here, this is the first time that a team from the district approached us,” said AHW Sunar, adding that the team was also holding discussions with the locals and stakeholders.

About a week ago, The Himalayan Times had covered news about the new mothers in Humla being deprived of the state-entitled incentives for more than past one year.

As per the news report, 78 women, who had availed themselves of the delivery service at Maila health post in the past one year, have failed to receive delivery incentives and Nyano Jhola.

Similarly, over 120 babies and more than 30 pregnant women have not received basic immunisation service for the past five months or so.

The state has made the administration of six vaccines against preventable diseases mandatory to kids below the age of one year. The government has also allocated Rs 1,900 and Nyano Jhola to the pregnant women. Maila is four days’ trek from the district headquarters Simikot.