INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
BAJURA, MARCH 23Locals in Bajura were elated when the Insurance Board initiated health insurance campaign here by
making Kolti Primary Health Centre a major service point in compliance with Health Insurance Act 2017 (2074) and National Health Policy 2019
Running taps at houses elate locals of Bajura's Badimalika Municipality
Over 300 households in Bajura linked to national power grid
However, the service is far from being realised.
The campaign had selected
District Hospital in Martadi for five local levels in Bajura and Kolti Primary Health Centre for four of the local levels in northeast side
of the district to begin its services.The facility, if actualized, would have given external services, emergency services, internal
services, diagnostic services, surgical facility and provided medicines listed as free of cost.Many locals had participated in the insurance
campaign in hope that they would be given concession while getting treated for complicated diseases
However, they have not received any of the enlisted facilities, yet.This has greatly demotivated them and hence many have not cared to renew
the insurance.The inefficiency of services in Kolti Primary Health Centre, as such, has failed people in Budinanda Municipality, Himali
Rural Municipality, Swamikartik Rural Municipality and Jagannath Rural Municipality from receiving needed assistance.According to Janak
Saud, Coordinator of Sudurpashchim Health Insurance, health workers of Kolti Primary Health Centre had also been provided special training
for the operation of this service.However, due to weakness of local government, the operation is still not coming through, she shared.Health
Coordinator Jasiram Sahani shared that the campaign requires pharmacy and internet services while Kolti Centre lacks a pharmacy.According to
Vice Chair of Budinanda Municipality, Shristi Regmi, a meeting has already decided to operate a pharmacy at the center
"Why the pharmacy has not yet come into operation despite the decision, even I don't know," she shared.Meanwhile, Sahani blames
mismanagement in Kolti Centre for the issue.According to the initial plan, families below the poverty line need not pay a premium for
Likewise, given that the family has five members, they have to pay Rs 3,500 and if they are more than five members, they need to pay Rs 700
extra for each member added which would have provided them health services worth Rs 20,000 per person for free, and for family of five Rs
100,000.Much to the surprise and adding to the disappointment of the locals here, these promises have gone on to be mere passing words.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com