Health service in Jajarkot has been hit hard due to shortage of medicines and unavailability of staff in health facilities. 

Most health facilities are reeling with a dearth of essential medicines while nearly half of the district’s medical workforce are on leave, officials said.

There are 31 health posts and three primary health centres in Jajarkot, where 250 medical staff are deputed. Half of the medical staff, particularly those stationed in rural areas, are out of the district these days. 

Amrit Oli, a villager of Paink, said that the health post in his village was shut closed for the last four weeks.

There are no medicines or health workers at the health post, he added.

Similar is the situation of many other health posts in the district. And those health posts that are still running are crippled by shortage of essential medicines and staff.

Rampukar Sah, the acting chief of District Health Office, said even the District Hospital was struggling with drug shortage. 

Several of the free of cost essential medicines are not available at the hospital and the patients are compelled to pay for them at private pharmacies, he added. 

Cases of viral fever, diarrhoea and typhoid in the district are on the rise of late and patients have been thronging the District Hospital because their local health posts are either without medicines or without medical staff.

Dr Sanjaya Kumar Yadav of Dalli Primary Health Centre also complained about the shortage of essential medicines at the facility. 

Banke health facilities shut The health facilities in Banke have shut their services, except for emergency cases, for an indefinite period demanding action against the persons who misbehaved with a doctor at Bheri Zonal Hospital on July 12. The protesting medical staff have accused the local administration of failing to initiate action against the persons who misbehaved with Dr Shyam Sundar Yadav. Dr RK Jha, the zonal coordinator of NMA, said the five persons who misbehaved with Dr Yadav were still walking free, though a police complaint was filed against them following the incident. The protest has affected the people in need of medical care. Chief District

Officer Rabilal Panthi, meanwhile, urged the agitating doctors to withdraw their patients, claiming that the District Police Office was trying to settle the case through negotiations.