The Karnali Academy of Health Science at Khalanga in the district has stopped distributing cash incentives, which the government has been providing to women who give birth at government facilities across the country, to women visiting the hospital for the past five months.
As a result, 239 women who gave birth in the hospital so far are deprived of the incentives. With a view to attract pregnant women to give birth in health institutions, the government provides Rs 1,500 to each women who gives birth in government health facility as transport fair and Rs 400 each to those who undergo at least four consecutive check-ups during their pregnancy in the mountainous region. Dr Bikalpa Pokharel, medical director at the hospital, said they failed to provide the incentives as the District Public Health Office (DPHO) is yet to release budget.
“We provide maternity services, including surgery, free of cost to women admitted for delivery while the DPHO is bound to provide the incentives and some medicines for free,” he said. The hospital also lacks the medicines distributed under the government programme.
Pokharel said they have asked the DPHO to immediately release budget for the incentives and medicines. “We have kept records of women who are yet to receive the incentives and will provide once we receive the budget,” he said.
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