Over five dozen posts of health workers are lying vacant at various health facilities across the Parbat district. According to the District Public Health Office, posts of three medical officers, as many staff nurses, 16 health assistants, 21 assistant health workers and 15 ANM are lying vacant in the district now. Most of the health facilities are manned by junior staff in the absence of the seniors. “We have written to the concerned authority to fulfil the vacant posts. It seems we have to deal with the problems arising due to the shortage of human resources until our concerns are heard,” said district health office section officer Bishnu Prasad Poudel, adding that three doctors’ posts have been lying vacant at the district hospital and there is not a single doctor at Lukhu and Thuli Pokhari primary health centres.

The locals are at the receiving end of the manpower crunch at the health facilities. “Who could be worse affected than the commoners like us,” said a local of Kushma Bazaar.

Published on: 4 August 2013 | The Himalayan Times