48 local levels in Karnali deprived of basic hospitals

Kakrebihar (Surkhet), October 22 — Only 31 local levels, out of 79, of 10 districts in the Karnali Province have basic hospitals, according to the Health Service Directorate.     

The Province comprising 25 municipalities and 54 rural municipalities has 718 wards.     

The primary hospitals in the Province number 21 while the number of health posts is 330. There are seven district hospitals and 11 primary health centres across the Province.     

As the Directorate said, the establishment of a basic hospital is still awaited at 48 local levels in the Province. Geographical remoteness is said to be the major challenge in improving citizens' access to healthcare facilities in the Province.     

The provincial government has formulated plans aiming to bring improvements in the health sector here. It aims to reduce the rates of non-communicable diseases, early motherhood, home delivery, and so on.     

The reports are that lately, the issues of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and mental health are increasing in rural settlements in the Province. The Directorate said plans will be implemented to prevent these diseases in the near future.     

Entering into motherhood before 20 can lead to numerous health complications ahead. So the government has planned to cooperate with the entire local levels in the Province to implement programmes to minimize early/child marriage effectively.     

The rates of institutional births have decreased in Karnali. Despite the availability of birthing centres in villages, people prefer home births as such facilities lack standards.     

The Directorate is working to improve the standard of birthing centres with supplies of required human resources, said Directorate's Director Dr Rabin Khadka. The rates of home births have increased by eight per cent compared to the past in Karnali.     

Likewise, the number of children missing full-course vaccination has also increased as their parents/guardians go to India for jobs. The Directorate is preparing to take initiatives for vaccinating such children in coordination with the local levels.