Sixteen districts of Eastern Region are facing acute shortage of qualified health workers. Especially hard hit are the hilly districts of Taplejung, Terhathum, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Solukhumbu and Khotang. Although 4,000 health workers have been assigned to the region, nearly a tenth of the posts remain vacant — 38 medical officers, 37 staff nurses, 50 assistant health workers, 19 assistant nurse midwives, 122 rural health workers and 49 maternity workers. Technical medical support staff are also in short supply. Not that the government has not tried to fill in the vacancies. In August, the Dhankuta Regional Health Directorate had announced vacancies for 100 temporary health workers. Exams were conducted and interviews taken. But recruitment stopped after thousands of failed candidates threatened to vandalise the directorate.

It has become customary to blame health workers for their unwillingness to work in rural and far-flung areas. But now even the willing are being systematically discouraged. This dismal ground reality cannot be expected to improve unless the present political uncertainty is removed. Having said that, vital sectors like health and education should be kept free from politics at all times and their employee selection process should be strictly merit-based. In the wake of such a strong opposition, it is incumbent upon health authorities to investigate for any kind of favouritism involved in the selection process. Only the best candidates should be appointed.