Ailing health services
The Himalayan Times
4
July 2014
Ailing health services
It
was sad to read the news report “X-ray machine goes kaput, patients
inconvenienced” (THT, 3 July, Page 5) when the government continues to talk
about health and education for all by 2015. The conditions of government’s
health delivery services in the rural and remote areas are very pathetic. Even
the district hospitals in some of the districts are ineffectively running due to
the lack of proper infrastructures, equipments, medicines and human resources.
For the treatment of some of the diseases the
X-rays are essential to identify the causes. How come the treatment of some
specific diseases be possible in Phidim Health Centre if its X-ray machine goes
out of order. This situation had badly affected the surrounding villages. Even,
the villagers had contributed to buy a generator to run the machine a year ago.
I had the opportunity to closely work with
the district hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Health Posts and Sub-Health
Posts which are the government’s health service outlets at the district and
Village Development Committee (VDC) level. Most of these outlets in the rural
areas lack proper building, equipments and health staff. Medicines that are
sent to these outlets for one year hardly last six months. The right of the
local people to get health services at their door steps have been grossly
ignored by the government.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharjgunj, Kathmandu
