Biratnagar, September 18:

Though the government has set a quota of 4,000 health workers in 16 districts of the Eastern Region, district hospitals, health posts and primary health posts lack 347 workers.

The posts of medical superintendents, doctors, nurses, assistant health workers, rural health workers, lab assistants, assistant nurse midwives, lab technicians, maternity workers, radiographers and darkroom workers are vacant, the Dhankuta Regional Health Directorate said.

Hilly districts are facing a greater lack of health workers, official at the directorate, Som Adhikari said.

The post of medical superintendents in Taplejung, Terhathum, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Solukhumbu and Khotang districts are vacant. The posts of 38 medical officer, 37 staff nurses, 50 assistant health workers, 19 assistant nurse midwives, 122 rural health workers, 49 maternity workers, six lab technicians, four lab assistants, seven radiographers, two dark room workers and seven others are vacant in the eastern region, the statistics at Dhankuta Regional Health Directorate said. Panchthar, Sunsari and Siraha districts are doctorless.

The Dhankuta Regional Health Directorate had announced vacancy to fulfil 100 posts of health workers in August. Despite the fact that the results of written exam and interview were published, recruiting candidates passing the interview was halted after staffers at the directorate warned of agitation, regional director Chandradev Mehata said.