All maternity services have been closed in Bhojpur District Hospital, the only hospital in the hill district of Province 1, for the last three months.

The hospital, which had started providing Cesarean delivery services in 2018, closed all maternity services due to a lack of human resources. Because of service closure, women with pregnancy-related complications have no alternative but to visit other districts for treatment.

“Pregnant women have to travel as far as Dharan, Biratnagar, Kathmandu and other towns and cities after the maternity services were closed in the district hospital,” said Sanju Shrestha, a local.

The hospital administration said it was compelled to close the maternity services since August 4, as all human resources under the unit were transferred during the employee adjustment process.

The hospital had eight gynaecologists and obstetricians, including those appointed on a contract basis.

The remaining health workers at the hospital are trained only to examine patients, advise them, and at most refer them to other hospitals. The hospital’s data shows that around 3,000 women visit the health institution every year for safe delivery. Dr Pabitra Shrestha, acting chief at the district hospital, said, “After the closure of the maternity services, the hospital has been referring three to seven pregnant women to other hospitals in a week.”

The hospital has demanded authorities to provide it with health resources at the earliest. According to Shrestha, efforts are underway to resume maternity services in the hospital as soon as possible.

“We have already informed the Ministry of Social Development of Province 1, Provincial Health Directorate and District Coordination Committee about the problem,” said Shrestha. “We hope for the services to resume soon.”