Taulihawa (Kapilvastu), March 10: Even after the unofficial border blockade imposed by India is over, the district is reeling under a severe shortage of medicines.
The over five-month border blockade had restricted the supply of goods and medicines into Nepal, creating a severe shortage of medicines.
As a result, around 78 health institutions including three government health facilities lack medicines including even general medicines like oral rehydration salts.
The health facilities said that they have only limited stock of medicines like cetamol, iron pills and medicines prescribed to cure leprosy and tuberculosis among others.
Moreover, the District Public Health Office (DPHO) lacks storage of medicines, thus stopping distribution to various health facilities across the district.
As a result of this, patients of various diseases visiting health facilities in the district for treatment are forced to return empty-handed, while those patients visiting from faraway places are hit the hardest.
There are instances of patients, who can afford, going to nearby districts or cities and India for treatment.
Health workers said that with the onset of summer, increasing number of people suffering from fever and diarrhoea are visiting the health institutions.
Assistant health worker at Avirawa health post Shankar Baitha said that the health institution is forced to return patients empty handed as it lacks medicines.
When asked, administrator at the DPHO Yogendra Bhagat said that the health facilities in the district are facing a shortage of medicines as the supply is yet to be made from the centre and region due to the protracted banda in the Southern Plains by various Madhes-based political parties to protest some provisions in the newly promulgated constitution.
Store keeper at the DPHO Meghnath Khanal said that the delay to go for tender process to purchase and supply necessary medicines this fiscal year due to the protest has also made the matter worse.
However, to add to the problems, an employee at the DPHO said that although the tender process starts right away, it will take at least three months to make the supply. RSS