Five Solukhumbu health institutions closed

By Santosh Raut Solukhumbu, July 19: Five healthcare facilities in Nechasalyan Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu, have been closed. That’s because of the municipality’s decision not to extend the term of the employees in those facilities. Their contract ended on July 1. 

Among those closed is Nechasalyan Hospital. The hospital management committee, along with Dom Raj Bastola, vice president, and Dr. Aman kumar Shah, issued a notification informing the public that the hospital will remain closed because the term of the employees will not be extended. Converted from Covid Hospital, the Nechasalyan hospital had two doctors, one medical assistant, and two office assistants.

Similarly, the basic health service centers operating in Nechasalyan 1, 4, and 5 will also remain closed until further arrangements are made. 

In that health care centre, there was a nurse, an assistant, and an office assistant.

The community health unit, which has been providing services with one assistant and one office assistant, has also been closed.

Likewise, Primary Health Center Salyan, in which eight health workers including one doctor are working on a contract, is going to close services except for essential services (OPD and maternity). 

The health center, which has only five permanent health workers, 

has cut its services due to a lack of manpower.

With the municipality's decision not to extend the term, 27 contract health workers in the health sector, 

including one assistant health worker at Bardanda health post and one office assistant at Betghari Health Post 

have left. This has impacted the services. 

Nepal Civil Servants Organisation Nechasalyan has demanded the municipality withdraw its decision to remove the temporary employees. 

Chairman Yuvraj Sharma issued a statement saying that the decision was undemocratic and demanded renewal of the employees’ contract as well as proper management of the health institutions. 

The municipality looks set to start hiring new employees. 

Nechasalyan Vice President Bina Rai informed that preparations are being made to start the recruitment 

process as soon as possible to fill the vacancies.