Buildings of basic health centres unused in Simkot

By Our Correspondent,Humla, July 1: New buildings have been constructed for two wards of Simkot Rural Municipality in Humla district to operate basic community health service centres. 

However, the buildings have not been brought into use yet.

According to the officials, all the available budget was spent to construct the buildings, and the rural municipality had no more money to install the necessary equipment and deploy medical personnel.

The buildings are constructed in Ward Nos. 3 and 5 of Simkot.

“A patient always finds it difficult to travel long distances. However, currently, our locals, including children and elderlies, walk for up to one hour to reach a health post. If the newly constructed health centre comes into operation, it will be of great assistance,” said Pama Lama, ward chairman of Ward No. 3.

Lama informed that the building for the community health centre was constructed under the federal government’s budget in the last fiscal year. 

“We have requested the provincial and federal governments’ health authorities for support to bring the buildings into use. 

However, we have not received it,” he added.

“The building for the community health centre in our ward was completed in the fiscal year 2021/22. A budget was allocated for the building construction, but no support has arrived to bring them into operation,” said Krishna Bahadur Bohora, former ward chairman of Ward No. 5 of Simkot.

Meanwhile, similar community health centres are providing services in other Simkot wards. 

Moreover, when the new building for the health centre has not been brought into operation, the officials are planning to move Ward No. 5   office to the building from July 17.