Sixty-seven health posts in Dailekh are reeling under an acute shortage of essential medicines.

According to the District Health Office (DHO), the ongoing drug shortage has led to an increase in number of patients visiting its facility.

Dr Anil Kharel said people from far and wide were visiting the district headquarters for treatment and that the DHO itself was running out of medicines. 

Stocks of antibiotics, saline packs and various other essential drugs are depleting at the DHO, Dr Kharel said.

Cases of viral diseases are on the rise, but the government health facilities in the district are without many important medicines, including those categorised as free-for-all essential drugs. 

Krishna Bhandari of Bhairabi Rural Municipality said he had to visit a private clinic at the district headquarters because the health post in his area did not have medicines to treat him. 

Maya Bista of Dungeshor Rural Municipality said the health post in hear area did not have the medicines to treat her daughter, who is suffering from diarrhoea.

The DHO’s repeated requests to Narayan Municipal Office to supply the essential drugs have not been heeded, District Health Officer Dr Sobit Thapa said.

The government provides 70 types of essential medicines for free of cost from the district hospitals, 56 types of medicines from primary health centres and 35 types of medicines from heath posts.

However, Dr Thapa said, the shortage has forced people to pay for those medicines.