Baitadi women depend on health camps for treatment amid limited services

Baitadi: Women in rural areas of Baitadi district continue to rely on health camps for treatment of uterine prolapse due to the lack of local medical services, long distances to the district hospital, and social stigma associated with the condition, said Narendra Singh Mahata, Chief Administrative Officer of Shivnath Rural Municipality.

It has been observed that many women attending the health camp in Shivnath Rural Municipality have been hiding their condition for years, indicating that they do not seek treatment elsewhere. Mahata also highlighted that child marriage remains prevalent in rural areas, and pregnant women often do not get adequate rest, urging parents to raise awareness against early marriage.

During the ongoing health camp in Shivnath Rural Municipality, 120 women underwent video X-rays, and 32 women were screened for cervical cancer. One woman was referred for cancer treatment, while four women received a ring pessary for uterine support.

On Saturday, Baitadi District Hospital organized a one-day free health camp at Sharmali, Shivnath Rural Municipality-2, with a specialist doctor in attendance. A total of 331 residents from the ward received health check-ups.

The camp was jointly organized by Shivnath Rural Municipality and Baitadi District Hospital, with support from local security agencies, said Dr. Sushil BK, Medical Superintendent of Baitadi District Hospital. As the district hospital does not have a dedicated budget or program to run such camps, a specialist was deployed at the request of the rural municipality, explained Suman Mahara, Manager of the District Hospital.

Narendra Singh Mahata added that the camp was organized under the rural municipality’s leadership to address the difficulty residents face in accessing specialist health services when district hospital programs are unavailable. The initiative is planned to continue across all six wards of Shivnath Rural Municipality.