Baitadi health facilities are overstaffed and understocked with medications

Essential medications are in insufficient supply at Baitadi district health facilities, where, despite having enough staff, 297 permanent and 271 contract employees outnumber patients. The eight-person health posts in Dasharathchand Municipality only see two to three patients every day, and the majority of patients choose to go to the nearest hospitals. There are only 34 patients who match the norms at Gokuleshwor Health Post in Dilasaini Rural Municipality-5, and several birthing clinics have closed despite having 14 staff members. Only 71 of the 108 health facilities have potable water and restrooms, 34 of them fulfill infrastructure standards, and many vaccination clinics are underbuilt, forcing staff to vaccinate children in private houses or open fields.

Numerous health facilities are listed in the district, but only 75 have electricity available around-the-clock, 71 have water and sanitary facilities, and 13 have ambulance services. Local governments, according to Lekhak, are spending most of the health budget on hiring staff instead of funding essential infrastructure like buildings, drugs, safe drinking water, electricity, or internet services. “Vaccinating children in open areas increases the risk of infection due to inadequate facilities,” said Vaccine Inspector Harish Bhatt.