The Ministry of Health has managed the post for 275 doctors, including specialists, in the mid-western region. However, 60 percent of these posts are vacant, which has greatly affected the health service. 

There are no specialist doctors in 10 district hospitals. Only Surkhet, Banke, Bardiya, Dang and Jumla have medical specialists. 

The medical officers who were appointed on a contract basis have been providing services in most of the hospitals. 

Dr Dambar Pathak, chief of Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Surkhet, said the hospital only has eight doctors.  According to the Mid-Western Regional Health Directorate, there are only 108 doctors working in regional, sub-regional, zonal and district hospitals. Of them, 85 are contract hiring. 

Basanta Adhikari, senior administrator of the directorate, said 60 percent of the doctor posts in the region are vacant. 

“The doctor to patient ratio in the region is 1 doctor per 20,000 population. Many people are compelled to go to other parts of the country for treatment,” said Adhikari.

Besides, 1,021 posts of health workers, including nurses, are also vacant in the region. The nurse to patient ratio in the region is 1 nurse per 2,835.

Shortage of medical specialists in Dhaulagiri 

BAGLUNG: Many patients who visit the Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital are referred to Pokhara-based hospitals due to lack of medical staff. Majority of the referral cases are the ones that need medical specialists. Although the zonal hospital has four positions for medical specialists, there is only one. 

The hospital, which receives up to 100 new patients per day, has only seven doctors. The positions for nine doctors are vacant.