Ramechhap, June 29

Uncertainty looms over the construction of buildings for two primary health posts and a health post in Ramechhap after the government stopped construction work.

The previous government had made a decision to construct new buildings for Bamti and Doramba Primary Health centres and Gothgaun Health Post, but the present government’s order to halt construction has dismayed the locals.

Bamti’s Harka Bahadur Rasaili expressed his sadness at the government’s decision to stop the construction of buildings. “There was hope that with the construction of better infrastructure, we would also get better health services, but that seems unlikely now,” he lamented, urging the government to withdraw its decision.

Urban Development and Building Construction Department Division Office Ramechhap chief Parikshit Kadariya admitted that construction of health post buildings had been halted. Following the government’s decision, uncertainty looms over construction 25 other buildings for different health posts in the district.

Chief at District Public Health Office Dr Prakash Prakash Shah, on his part, dwelt on the hardships faced by health facilities, staff and the patients due to lack of proper infrastructures. Most of the health facilities in the district were affected by the 2015 earthquakes.

Though prefab buildings have been built for some 14 health facilities with the help of UNICEF, and buildings of around a dozen others were repaired, the quake-damaged buildings of more than 25 health facilities are yet to be repaired or constructed.