Government health facilities in Kamalbazar, Turmakhad and Chaurpati municipalities in Achham district are reeling under shortage of medicines for the past one month.

 Patients are purchasing medicines from private dispensaries at higher rates because the local governments have been unable to supply essential medicines to public health facilities.

Rambha Bhandari of Kamalbazar Municipality-6 said even Jeevan Jal, oral rehydration salt, was unavailable at Birpath Health Post.

 “Many of us do not have money to buy medicines at private dispensaries,” he said Bhandari.

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

Auxiliary Nursing Midwife Gita Saud of Birpath Health Post said, “Since we do not have medicines, our service has been limited to performing medical check-ups these days.”

The health post receives around 30 patients a day.

Even the District Health Office is without many essential drugs.

“When I visited the District Health Office for a medical check-up, I was told to buy my medicines from private medical shops,” said Jasu BK of Mangalsain.

Public Health Inspector Jhanak Dhungana said the medicine shortage was caused due to the failure of the local governments to replenish the supply of medicines at government health facilities.

“Earlier, it was the District Health Office that ensured that the government health facilities had sufficient supply of medicines. That responsibility now lies on local governments, but they seem to be struggling to cope with the demands for medicines made by several government health facilities,” he said.