Govt health facilities fail to draw patients, more deliveries at private hospitals

(Bhesharaj Basnet)

Although the government health facilities are well equipped to conduct delivery, the number of patients for this is very low as compared to those visiting the private hospitals for the health service. Free health service is provided under the ‘Safe Motherhood Programme,’ but people’s attraction toward it is least here.

In the recent six months of the current fiscal year, a total of 8,186 women received the service relating to safe motherhood from private-run Teaching Hospital of Kohalpur, but only 53 persons got the service from government health facilities which have adequate services for it, said nursing officer Shova Adhikari.

Similarly, 124 women received service on safe motherhood including delivery at Shumshergunj Health Post of Kohalpur municipality, she added.

As per the data shared by health section of the municipality, the Teaching Hospital at Kohalpur conducted 2,410 general deliveries and 173 complicated deliveries. Similarly, 929 pregnant women underwent surgery and 1138 did regular health check up. A total of 3,538 mothers received transportation allowance after delivery.

In the same period, no woman conducted complicated delivery at Kohalapur and Sumshergunj Health Posts.

Only 21 women visited Kohalpur Health Posts for general checkup and 11 ones underwent regular pregnancy checkup. Similarly, 47 women had general health checkup and 30 others did regular pregnancy health checkup.

Under the safe motherhood programme, some Rs 20 million has been spent in the past six months of this fiscal year, according to the nursing officer.

Mayor at Kohalpur municipality, Lut Bahadur Rawat, observed that the Teaching Hospital might have more attraction as people believed private hospital could provide quality service. He however said the municipality was making publicity on the quality health service from the health posts.