Health facilities in rural parts of Ramechhap are finding it hard to cater to patients due to a shortage of health workers. The positions for around 100 health workers are vacant in several health centres.  

According to the District Health Office (DHO), the positions for 31 health assistants, 35 auxiliary health workers, 29 paramedics, two lab assistants, and one staff nurse have not been filled yet.

As a result, patients are deprived of timely treatment in remote villages. DHO Chief Dr Prakash Prasad Sah said the vacancies were created after 28 sub-health posts in the district were upgraded to health posts six months ago.

 “One hundred and one health workers are needed to fill the vacancies,” said Sah. “The problem started after many health workers were transferred and their spots were left vacant.”

To cope with the situation, the DHO has been deputing health workers from other districts. But this strategy has done very little to address the problem because many health workers leave their stations in the name of attending seminars and leave.