Peon prescribing drugs at health post

Dailekh, July 14:

A peon has been running the health post in Dwari VDC of Dailekh district for eight months, thanks to the absence of health workers.

The assistant health worker of the post, who had gone to the district headquarters Dailekh bazaar for treatment, has not returned.

Peon Keyar Singh Gharti has been checking up patients and prescribing medicines. If he cannot diagnose diseases, Gharti asks patients to visit the district headquarters for treatment.

"Patients visit the health post every day. I check up patients and give medicines if I am able to diagnose their diseases. If I cannot, I ask them to visit the district headquarters for treatment," Gharti said. Dipendra Pun of Dwari-1 fears that the peon might prescribe wrong medicines.

Midwife at the health post Sirjana Bom said, "As I am a field worker, I have to stay in villages most of the time."

“As its building is in a dilapidated state, the health post has been operating from village development committee office building,” locals said.

Dr Gunaraj Awasthi, chief of the Dailekh District Public Health Office, said, "We have repeatedly urged the centre to arrange sufficient health workers for the district, but in vain."

Locals have been deprived of treatment, though the health post has no dearth of medicines.