The local governments of Rukum (East) have expanded health services so that people in their respective villages can access quality health care.

All six local units in the district now have well-equipped hospitals and health facilities with at least one Auxiliary health worker and Auxiliary nurse-midwife in each ward, according to Devilal Gautam, mayor of Musikot Municipality.

Previously, only Musikot and Chaujahari municipalities had fully-functional hospitals. People from all local units had to travel to Musikot Municipality, where the district hospital is based, to seek treatment even for minor illnesses.

But with the local units establishing health centres in a majority of wards, people can access health services in their own villages now.

Dil Kumari Oli, a resident of Chaurjahari-12, said that the operation of health centres in her ward has helped many people get immediate medical attention, saving them the trouble of visiting health facilities outside their villages.

"The municipality has established a new health post in ward 10. We don’t have to go to the district hospital anymore to get treatment,” said Oli. “We can even get vaccination services, family planning facilities and general treatment near our homes.”

Athabiskot Municipality is operating a 25-bed municipal hospital at Radi in ward 9 of the municipality. Similarly, a 15-bed hospital has been opened at Kholagau of ward 10 in Chaurjahari, a 15-bed hospital in Chhotebagar of ward 7 in Sanibheri and a 15-bed hospital in Kharaneta of ward 3 in Triveni.

“Some wards even have two health centres. The local governments decided to establish health posts and hospitals in the villages so that all residents can have access to timely medical facilities,” said mayor Gautam.

According to Gautam, the hospitals built by the local governments of the district have treated about 62,000 patients so far.

Danda Prasad Sharma, the health coordinator of Chaurjahari Municipality, said that the general public has been receiving health services in their own villages.

“The local government is focused on fulfilling the basic needs of the local residents and that includes health care,” said Gorkha Bahadur KC, chief of Athabiskot Municipality. “We will continue providing quality services to the people of our municipality.”

Earlier, 35 health posts were in operation in the district. Following the local units’ initiative, an additional 38 health centres have been added. The local units were allocated Rs3.8 million by the federal government to construct the health centres. They have been operating the health centres by hiring health workers on a contract basis.