Karnah’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with the Sub-District Hospital Tangdhar and associated health centers suffering from a dire shortage of specialist doctors and medical staff. Despite serving a population of over one lakh, the hospital lacks critical specialists such as gynecologists, pediatricians, surgeons, and general physicians. With over 400 OPD cases and 20 emergency cases reported daily, the absence of an operational operation theatre has resulted in the referral of 90 pregnant women since April 2025. On average, two women are sent back every day due to unavailability of treatment. Children, too, are bearing the brunt of this crisis, with rising untreated cases and lack of pediatric care.
Adding to the crisis, even basic medical facilities are not being provided. Patients are not given syringes, and essential medicines are frequently unavailable, forcing them to buy everything from outside at their own expense. This has created an unbearable burden for already struggling families. Out of 31 sanctioned posts for doctors in Karnah Health Block, only 12 are filled, and just 6 doctors serve in a hospital that requires 27. Likewise, only 83 out of 214 medical and paramedical positions are staffed, with 103 remaining vacant for years. Many health centers are either non-functional or operating in name only due to staff shortages, while temporary medical camps have failed to offer any long-term solution.
Doctors currently working in the area are overburdened, clocking up to 160 hours a week, with no housing allowance or border area incentives benefits that were previously granted. The Civil Society of Karnah has strongly condemned the government's inaction, demanding immediate recruitment for all vacant posts, appointment of specialist doctors, revival of all health centers, provision of essential medicines, and special allowances for staff in border areas. They warn that failure to act promptly could result in the loss of countless lives, especially among women and children, turning this medical crisis into a human tragedy.