Kanchanpur residents can easily access health care now as most of its primary health care centres have recently hired medical staff.

The Primary Health Centre at Dodhara Chandani Municipality has appointed two medical doctors while another doctor for the primary health centre has been hired by Nick Simons Institute, a social organisation working in rural health care.

Prior to this, the health centre was run by health assistants and auxiliary health workers. In the absence of doctors, patients with even minor illnesses had to be taken to Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi or to Khatima in India for medical treatment, local people say.

Dodhara Chandani shares a border with Uttarakhand in India.

“The medical staff were hired to run Covid-19 facilities,” said Dil Bahadur Sinjali, spokesperson of Dodhara Chandani Municipality. “There are three doctors at the health care centre now. Covid-19 and non-Covid patients can easily avail of medical services here.”

Dodhara Primary Health Centre receives 100 to 150 patients on a daily basis, according to the data of the health centre.

Similarly, Papaladi Health Post in Suklaphanta Municipality also recently appointed two doctors on a contract basis. The health post had been converted into a Covid-19 hospital in the beginning of April but did not have doctors to run the hospital.

Gyan Bahadur Bista, ward chairman of Suklaphanta Municipality Ward No. 4, said, “The local people have been demanding a well-facilitated hospital. We have been preparing to establish one in Pipaladi. We will offer permanent positions to the two doctors we have hired to run the hospital.”

Last year, Punarbas Municipality had appointed a medical doctor for Tribhuvan Health Post after it was converted into a Covid-19 hospital. Jeevan Raj Thapa, mayor of the municipality, says the upgrade of the health post has ensured proper health care for both Covid-19 and non-Covid patients.

“We don’t have to go to Dhangadhi to receive treatment now. The upgrade of Tribhuvan Health Post has come as a huge relief for Covid-19 patients too,” said Basundhara Gautam, a resident of Punarbas Ward No. 9.

According to the data of the District Health Office in Kanchanpur, there are 21 health facilities, including 18 health posts and three primary health centres, in the district. The health posts did not hire any doctors whereas the primary health centres used to have a medical doctor.

But now, with health posts converted into Covid-19 hospitals, authorities have started to appoint doctors in Kanchanpur to extend the best possible care to the local people within their own local unit.

Most of the local units in Kanchanpur have appointed medical doctors and started treating Covid-19 patients in their own localities.

Belauri and Bedkot municipalities have also appointed doctors to run their Covid-19 hospitals. Belauri has set up a 10-bed hospital and Bedkot a 50-bed hospital, officials at the District Health Office said.

Siddharaj Bhatta, the public health inspector of the District Health Office, said, “Residents of remote areas now have more access to health care. The appointment of doctors and other health workers in various local units of Kanchanpur has ensured no one will have to suffer for want of treatment.”