BAJURA: Pregnant women of remote areas in Bajura now have access to ultrasound facility in their own villages.

The service has been available in remote Bajura villages after the government initiated Rural Ultrasound Programme in every local level, according to Health Coordinator Dipak Shah at Budhiganga Municipality in the district.

The video X-ray facility is being provided by trained health workers, bringing relief to pregnant women, Shah added.

"We can now get our ultrasound done at the village instead of going to Bajura District Hospital, said Birma Thapa of Badimalika Municipality-5, who is eight months pregnant and received the service in her own village for the first time after conceiving.

Similarly, Ambika Dani of Badimalika-1 who also got the ultrasound done in her village, said that prior to the programme, people had to travel for one day to reach the district hospital, making it especially difficult for pregnant women.

The health workers in the programme give information about the condition of the fetus and refer the patient to the district hospital in case of a complication, informed Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) Lalita Thapa, while adding that 76 women have received the service in Badimalika Municipality alone, while 134 pregnant women received service in Triveni Municipality over the period of two months.

The facility of ultrasound is being provided to the women in remote rural municipalities of the district, including Himali, Swamikartik Khapar, Jagannath, Gaumul, informed District Health Office, Bajura.

The ultrasound machine is small which makes it easier to carry to the remote areas, health workers said while adding that the machine works for one and a half hours after being charged.

(Translated by Sandeep Sen)