PARSA: The District Prison in Birgunj, Parsa, has been operating without a doctor for years despite having an approved post for a seventh- or eighth-level medical officer.
At present, only a health assistant is providing medical services to inmates.
The issue gained public attention after 25-year-old Rahul Sah Turaha of Birgunj Metropolitan City-25 died last Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Narayani Hospital.
He had developed serious health complications during exercise inside the prison. The incident has renewed calls for regular health check-ups and the appointment of a doctor as per the sanctioned position.
Prison chief Khimraj Bhusal said the administration has formally requested the Prison Management Department to fill the vacant medical officer post.
The Birgunj prison currently houses 1,310 inmates, including both Nepali and foreign nationals. Among them are five female convicts, 42 female detainees, two dependent girls, and 199 foreign prisoners.
According to the Prison Act, 2022, prisons with more than 500 inmates must have a hospital with the prescribed number of beds, while those with fewer inmates are required to maintain at least a health post.
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