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| Kathmandu, Sunday February 16, 2003 Falgun 04, 2059. |
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Rukum health centres in sick state
By Rudra Khadka
RUKUM, Feb 15 : Lack of
skilled manpower and equipment in Salle Hospital, the only of its kind in the district in
remote Rukum has deprived the people of health facilities. Due to indifference on part of
the government, the situation at the hospital has worsened during the past 14 years,
according to concerned sources.
A stark example of
government indifference towards the hospital is the non-filling of the post of an X-ray
operator for the past 14 years. As a result, the patients are deprived of even minor
treatments. Situation in the hospital is bad as it lacks basic equipments even for simple
diseases, according to Dr Madhav Prasad Lamsal, chief of the hospital.
The condition of other
health institutions in the district is still worse. Thus the patients do not trust them
and go to cities spending huge amounts of money, according to Dr Lamsal.
According to a source
at District Health Office (DHO), 40 seats of health workers lie vacant in the health
institutions of the district. Of the 249 posts of health workers, only 159 have been
filled till date, revealed the source.
"We have been
apprising the centre of the grave situation here time and again. However, all our efforts
have come to a nought," said the source.
The health workers in
the district complain that they are unable to apply their skills and treat patients in the
absence of required equipments.
"There is no
difference between the work performed by a senior and junior health worker here. Since
most of the works are conducted manually, the skills of seniors are not utilised,"
laments Dr Lamshal, adding, "The situation is further compounded due to
non-availability of drugs in time."
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