Rural Health Services

Anews story in this daily has it that a primary health centre in Belghari Village Development Committee of Sindhuli district has not seen a doctor since the last four months. As a result, the people in and around the village have not been able to receive services from a qualified health worker. This is not an isolated incident but a general practice that is prevalent nationwide. Most of the health posts and health centres in the rural areas, especially in the remote districts, often face a shortage of doctors and skilled health workers. Even the district hospitals in some areas face similar problems. This is because doctors and health workers are often reluctant to go to the remote areas. Doctors and health workers are deputed to the different health centres and health posts, but they hardly go to there. As a result, people tend to suffer especially when there is a risk of an epidemic.

The government has formulated policies to provide easy and affordable health services to all people living in each and every corner of the country. The health posts and health centres have been established in different parts of the country to achieve the goal of the government to ensure access to health services for all people under the ‘Health For All’ scheme. The government has spent a huge amount of money in the health sector for which different donors have provided generous support. However, this scheme has not achieved the desired goal mainly in the rural areas in the absence of trained human resources. But the government has remained a mute spectator as it has not been able to take any action against those who neglect their duty and refuse to serve in the areas where they are posted. The refusal to go to the places where they are posted is a breach of discipline. If this trend continues, it would set a bad precedent and will only encourage other staff. Thus, the government must act firmly against those who refuse to serve in places where they are posted and take action against them.

But this trend is in vogue in the absence of proper monitoring on the part of the government. Moreover, the system and mechanism of the government have helped create such a situation. Those who serve in the remote areas should not be treated at par with those who work in the capital and urban areas. The government, thus, needs to adopt special incentives for those who serve in the remote areas so that skilled health workers are always present in the remote areas.