Dhangadi, August 21

With the water level in local rivers going up and making it impossible for people living in far-flung areas in Doti and Kailali to cross the rivers, vaccination campaigns have been affected in these rural parts of the districts.

Due to the flooding, children in Badi Kedar Rural Municipality and other remote rural municipalities of Doti and Mohanyal and Chure rural municipalities of Kailali have been deprived of vaccination.

“As the water level in the rivers has surged, we simply can’t go to the areas across the rivers for vaccination,” said Ram Swartha Yadav of District Health Office, Doti.

According to DHO Maternal Health Programme, Doti Chief Tej Bikram Shahi, even birthing services are affected during monsoon. “As the water level has risen in Thuligadh River over which there are no bridges, all health services have been affected in Bogatan and Badi Kedar rural municipalities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Yadav talked bout lack of vaccination for cases of already eradicated diseases occasionally reported in remote areas. “Diseases like polio, measles and malaria have already been eradicated, but these cases are reported at times, as kids do not get to go through the full course of vaccination,” he said.

Sujang Hospital, Dipayal Manager Puskar Paneru blamed lack of awareness among the local people for kids missing out on basic vaccines.

“There are families who still think that vaccination is harmful to health and hence they never allow their kids to be vaccinated,” the hospital manager said.