BANKE, Jan 5: Binauna Health Post of Banke district is 24 kilometers far from Nepalgunj. It is visited by over 60 patients on a daily basis. However, the health post has not been able to provide medicines to its patients due to the shortage of the same. 

According to Health Post In-charge Rajan Kumar Shahi, the post lacks medicines and antibiotics for general illnesses such as cough, cold and aches. “It has already been two months since the supply of medicines stopped. We have been returning patients empty-handed due to the lack of medicines at the post,” he said. 

Shahi warned that if the medicine supply does not resume, they would have to close its out-patient department in the next ten days. 

The government provides 38 types of free medicines to the local health posts. However, the health post in Binauna lacks 14 types of medicines. The other medicines, too, will soon run out of stock. Important medicines such as iron tablets for pregnant women among others are almost out of stock.

“The patients are forced to make personal expenses to purchase medicines that the government provides free of cost,” he said. 

According to Laru Ram Tharu, chief of Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality, they haven't received the supply of medicines due to the remoteness of the region. “Not all the necessary medicines have reached here. The place is very difficult to access through transportation,” he said. 

Badeshwar Gautam, store chief at the District Public Health Office (DPHO), Banke, said it would take some more days to distribute the necessary medicines to the health posts of the local units. 

The DPHO has set aside Rs 1 million to purchase medicines necessary for the local health posts. “However, the money is not enough. Likewise, we also face problems in the transportation and distribution of the medicines. Inefficient distribution of medicines also played its role to worsen the situation,” he said.

 
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