Pregnant women of Mangalsen Municipality-13 in Achham district are unable to receive effective health services due to the lack of skilled health workers and proper infrastructures in the government-run local birthing centre.

The centre—constructed 30 years ago for the residents of Basti, Dadigade and Banda settlements—has only two auxiliary health workers and one auxiliary midwife. Its stone and mud building is in a dilapidated condition with no lighting system so the child delivery services are provided during the day time only. During monsoon, health workers find it difficult to provide services as raindrops seep through the roof and flood the floors.

The lack of skilled health workers and proper infrastructures in the birthing centre has left the women with no alternative but to deliver at home or seek out other health facilities for safe delivery services. Health post in charge Bijaya Shrestha said, “Majority of women in Mangalsen deliver at home. The centre only receives one or two delivery cases in a month.” According to the data of the health facility, the centre conducted only 23 child deliveries in the last fiscal year. Pabitra Saud, a local woman, said, “I delivered my child at home. This birthing centre is of no help for us.”