The Ministry of Health and Population is preparing to issue a public notice urging all health workers across the country to continue their service as usual.

The ministry says that issuing public notice is becoming increasingly necessary since health workers serving in state-run health facilities—health posts, primary health care centers, district hospital; and sub-regional, regional and central hospitals—remain confused over the ambiguity of the employee adjustment list.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration recently sent a list of names of health workers shortlisted for transfer to the Health Ministry.

“We have requested all health workers serving throughout the country not to panic over the adjustment list, and to continue providing service at the health facilities they have been serving,” Mahendra Prasad Shrestha, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told the Post. “We will send adjustment letters to authorise health workers to continue service from wherever they are currently based.”

Since monsoon is considered to be an epidemic season, the Health Ministry directs health workers every year to man their posts. Thousands of people across the country fall ill with infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, jaundice, dengue, malaria, kalajar and several other viral diseases every year.

“This year too we have alerted health workers over a possible epidemic,” Shrestha added. “Health workers, who have been serving for years, understand the sensitivity of the issues and we hope that they will continue their duties accordingly.”

Health experts say that risk of epidemic is high as outbreaks of dengue and diarrhoea were already reported before the start of the monsoon season. An influenza outbreak killed 10 people in Humla district in the pre-monsoon period this year. Health facilities have already started reporting about the surge of patients of infectious diseases.

Dr Baburam Marasini, former director at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Department of Health Services, said that restricting the movement of health workers from one place to another and prohibiting them from taking leave during monsoon have been practised over the last five decades.

“Transportation allowance is not provided for health workers even for regular transfers. Implementing the employee adjustment programme now and having health workers move their base means about a month of road travel for health workers. This movement stands to jeopardise many a patient’s life, especially during the epidemic season.”

The ministry said it will implement the adjustment process within a month, and make provisions to address the grievances of health workers after the completion of the adjustment process.