Bajura, July 8

Relatives took Lal Mati Sharki, 36, of Budhinanda Municipality, Bajura, to Pandusain Health Post after she suffered from labour pain some days ago. She gave birth to a baby at the parturition centre of the health facility with the help of male health workers due to lack of female staffers.

Gita Karki, 21, a service seeker of the municipality said she was compelled to receive the service from male health workers as there was not even a single female health worker in the health post. She added that she was uncomfortable in front of the male health workers during the delivery of the baby.

Public Health Inspector Nripa Raj Giri at Pandusain Health Post has been providing the service alone in the health facility. He said some females could not express their real problems openly in front of male health workers. “Females in urban areas express their problems openly while those from rural areas don’t,” he said.

There is a quota of health worker, two assistant health workers, two auxiliary mid-wife, and an office attendant at the health post.

ANM Madhu Shrestha is on leave since two weeks. Office attendant Prithivi Bahadur Singh was transferred to another office during the staff adjustment process. Another ANM Amrita Karki was also transferred to Ward No 9 office three months ago. Two quotas of HA and an ANM have been lying vacant for the past few years.

Giri has been providing health service along with administrative work in the office. “I have been facing problems providing health service due to lack of staffers,” he said. He said he provided the delivery service to service seekers even though he was inexperienced. “Around 40 patients reach the health post on a daily basis and I somehow manage to provide the service,” he added.

Giri said the municipality did not heed despite frequent reminders regarding lack of staffers in the health post. He said the health post could not provide delivery allowance and warm bags due to lack of budget.

Meanwhile, the municipality said the problems would be resolved soon.