Apropos of the news story “Human trafficking up through border entry points in far west” (THT, October 20, Page 6), there ought to be a far better sophisticated and intelligent way than frisking matured people at the borders to control human trafficking.

The couple in the picture in the story shows that a Maiti Nepal staffer is reportedly questioning the couple who do not look like traffickers or victims.

At a time when Afghanistan and many other conflict countries have been opened for Nepali labour, it would be ridiculous to assume that all or many people who make their way into friendly country will be victims of trafficking.

India has been our traditional job market, a place for earning our bread and butter and advancement in educational, social and economic status.

It is common knowledge that some of our current leaders from Aacham, Bajura, Baitadi and other outposts in the far-west grew up as the children of bank guards in the Indian cities. What if they had been stopped then?

Too much obstruction in human movement also goes against the democratic norms of freedom of movement and right to earn livelihood anywhere in the world. Nepalis are one of the smartest people in the world and the only way they can at all be trafficked is through their own greed or instigation of their loved ones.

A Newar peasant who drove his own brand new Tata bus on the Kathmandu-Bhaktapur was bitten by Saudi fever and his consort tells me that her husband has not been granted leave in three years as he has become “indispensable” to his Saudi masters.

What connection I have with the peasants - they stay in my house with three grown-up lads - one of whom is a civil engineer - without paying a dime. We need a better strategy to control actual trafficking than waiting at the borders and questioning travellers and revellers.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Surgery

It is good news that Bajura District Public Health Office has started complex surgeries in coordination with a non-governmental organization – Nick Simons Institute – which was also approved by the Ministry of Health and Population.

This is probably the first time that the DPHO has been able to conduct complex surgeries parturition, hydrocele sacs, appendicitis, bone setting and other surgeries.

However, it is sad to learn that those types of complex surgeries will be offered to the locals only until 2018 as per the agreement between the organization and the ministry.

What will happen after the NGO’s contract is over? Will the government continue providing services to the people of the locality even after the contract with the NGO is over?

This is the main question that the ministry needs to chalk out a plan to make those services sustainable.

There are many doctors who have studied on the government scholarships and they can be pressed into service in the rural parts for some years to ensure that there will not be a dearth of medical doctors in all the health centres.

Binod Shah, Bajura