The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Thursday asked the district public health offices to send health professionals, including MBBS doctors and specialists to rural municipalities, municipalities and metropolitan cities.

In a letter dispatched to its subordinate units, the ministry has instructed them to deploy at least a medical doctor and a health worker to the rural municipalities. It has called for three medical officers and specialists for the municipalities, four specialists for the sub-metropolises and five for the metropolises. The ministry has also asked its subordinate units to ensure that the municipalities and sub-metropolitan cities should have at least an Ayurvedic doctor.

Although the ministry had dispatched the letter on July 3 on the matter, it did not discuss about the deployment of the health staffs of 5th and 6th levels. 

“We have asked district health authorities to deploy the human resources without affecting the existing services,” said Baburam Khanal, under-secretary at the ministry. 

However, some of the districts, including Rasuwa, have written to the Department of Health Services (DoHS), stating that they do not have enough human resources to deploy in the local bodies. The DoHS is planning to send additional resources from other districts. 

Following the deputation, the rural municipality will have a coordinator of 7th to 8th level, while the municipality will have a public health official or medical doctor along with nursing staff. The sub-metropolitan and metropolitan cities will have a senior health official of 10th to 11th level.

The ministry had recently deputed public health coordinators in the metropolitan cities. 

Accordingly, Bishwo Ram Shrestha has been made coordinator of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, while Khageshwor Gelal will handle Lalitpur, Shambhu Gyawali (Chitwan), Bhanu Bhakta Yangden (Biratnagar) and Hemanta Sharma (Pokhara).