BAJURA, July 16

Kolti Primary Health Centre has been operating without doctors for almost a month in Bajura.

“With the transfer of two doctors working there under temporary quota a month ago, the health facility has been without a doctor,” said Chief of District Health Office, Dr Mohan Nath. According to him, Dr Kul Raj Shahi was transferred in mid-June whereas Dr Rabin Banjade was transferred in the third week of June.

Though there is a permanent position vacant in the health facility, no doctor has been appointed so far.

Hundreds of patients have been facing hard time due to shortage of doctors in the facility.

According to sources, more than a hundred patients visit the health facility every day. “We provide only minor health services to people due to the shortage of doctors and refer them to health facilities in Nepalgunj, Dhangadi, Bayalgadha and District Hospital, among others, for major treatment,” said Senior Health Assistant Worker Ashok Kumar Yadav. According to him, they have not been able to carry out post-mortem services for long in the centre due to this problem.

People from as many as 11 northern Bajura VDCs besides Mugu and Humla frequent the health facility seeking health services. “On the one hand, the health centre is flooded with patients, while on the other, we are short of doctors. This has created lots of problems,” said assistant nursing mid-wife Deuma Dhami.

Prem Lal Regmi, a local, said that they did not have any option but to rush to expensive health facilities out of the district. He said that doctors who pursued their degree with scholarship visit  remote rural areas for a few months though they are supposed to serve at least for a year.