Six months after quake, Bajura health posts still under tents

By Shailendra Rokaya,Bajhang, Mar. 20: An earthquake on October 3, 2023, severely impacted the central area of Chainpur, Bajhang. The seismic event destroyed 2,895 houses and partially damaged 6,140 others.

Several health post buildings, school buildings, police stations and community buildings sustained serious damage due to the earthquake. The government has decided to provide Rs. 50,000 each for people, whose houses were completely damaged by the earthquake, for the construction of temporary shelters. 

The implementation of this decision is currently underway. Many locals have already constructed temporary shelters themselves. However, health post buildings, school buildings and the buildings of other government offices that were destroyed by the earthquake are not renovated yet.

The health posts are imparting their services from the earthquake-affected buildings. The health posts assigned with the task of providing emergency medical treatment to the people remain in dilapidated condition. Health posts that suffered complete damage are currently operating with limited services, managed under the tents.

One such health post whose building was destroyed by the earthquake is Malumela Health Post, located in Thalara Rural Municipality-9. Malumela Health Post has been providing limited services under the tent.

Article 35, Section 1 of the Constitution of Nepal mentions that every citizen has the right to receive basic health services free of cost from the government, and no one should be deprived of emergency health services. However, locals of Thalara Rural Municipality are deprived of emergency health services after the earthquake.

Likewise, Pregnant women and postpartum mothers in the rural municipality are facing difficulties due to the lack of a suitable building in the health post. 

Nirmala Bhandari, 25, from Thalara Rural Municipality-9, visited the Malumela Health Post to safely deliver her baby after she had contractions on November 11, 2023. Bhandari, who regularly underwent prenatal check-ups, had reached the health post for safe delivery. However, upon arrival, she found that the health post building was destroyed by the earthquake. The Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) of the health post provided her delivery services under a tent, and Bhandari delivered her baby safely.

Similarly, Padma BK from Ward No. 9 of the rural municipality also experienced labour pains, and she visited the health post on November 9. She was informed that the health post building had been destroyed. With no other nearby healthcare facilities available, she had to seek assistance from the Malumela Health Post.

ANM and other healthcare workers were stationed in a makeshift tent hastily set up during the earthquake. BK’s family members rushed to the health post, it was nighttime, and there were no medical staff other than an ANM, and there was no electricity supply. BK was breathing heavily and her health condition was worsening.

Rawal successfully provided services and managed to facilitate normal delivery during the night with the support of the light of his mobile phone. Both the mother and the newborn were discharged as there were no additional facilities available to care for them.

Sunil Adhikari, the health post-in-charge, said that they sought shelter inside one of the rooms of the damaged building. He expressed concern, stating, “We sleep outside the health post as the hospital building is almost uninhabitable, when seriously ill patients arrive during the night, it makes us worried. When trying to save others, there is no certainty about our safety.”

“We have set up two tents received from the rural municipality on the premises of the hospital, and we are providing services from those tents. However, there is a problem if other pregnant women, expecting mothers, or severely ill patients come because there is no place to accommodate them,” said Adhikari. Both buildings of this health post have been completely damaged, leaving us with no place to stay.