Amidst the rugged terrain of Chhedegad, a municipality located in Jajarkot district, Karnali Province, lies Pajaru Health Post. Along with providing basic healthcare services, this health post houses a birthing center, and is tasked with serving the residents of this remote corner of the country. Contact online >>
Amidst the rugged terrain of Chhedegad, a municipality located in Jajarkot district, Karnali Province, lies Pajaru Health Post. Along with providing basic healthcare services, this health post houses a birthing center, and is tasked with serving the residents of this remote corner of the country.
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit the province last November damaged most of the houses in Pajaru, forcing residents to seek shelter in makeshift tents during the harsh winter. This posed a significant health risk for patients, especially newborns, who are more susceptible to contracting respiratory and other ailments such as hypothermia. Furthermore, the lack of access to electricity, which is needed to power the most basic services in the health facility, created significant challenges in the delivery of health services.
Recognizing this critical need for the provision of reliable energy at the health facility, WHO, Country Office for Nepal, supported to set up a photovoltaic solar system at Pajaru Health Post. This intervention has enabled continuous operation of warmers/heaters, ensuring much-needed care to the newborns at the birthing center, and preventing deadly complications. As Pajaru is yet to be connected to the central grid, the installation of the solar system proved to be the cleanest and cost-effective energy solution.
The facility now has access to an uninterrupted electricity supply for basic lighting and continuous operation of crucial equipment, like baby warmers. Health workers say this has led to an increase in institutional delivery.
Pajaru is one of the three sites in the earthquake-affected districts of Karnali Province, where WHO has provided solar panels to electrify health facilities, an activity supported by the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies.
A shot of the Pajaru Health Post and the 10 Photovoltaic solar panels, installed by WHO Nepal, at Pajaru, Chedegadh Municipality in Jajarkot district, Karnali Province. Positioned strategically, these panels serve as a lifeline, ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply for basic lightning and continuous operation of warmers.
Kalu Sarki, a worker at Pajaru Health Post, cleaning an infant bed inside the labor room at the health post. Electricity is crucial to power adequate lighting and medical equipment like the baby warmer.
“Since we have much-needed electricity now to run the birthing center, more mothers are delivering their babies here. This has lessened home deliveries, which ultimately contributes to reducing maternal and infant deaths during childbirth,” she says.
Inside the storage room, Prem Bahadur Mahatara, a Senior Auxiliary Health Worker, monitors the status of the batteries via a dedicated app. The app provides live status of the battery power, energy flow, storage state of charge, warnings, and other aspects of the energy system in real-time.
“As we can now keep the babies warm, there are less chances of them suffering from pneumonia. It would’ve been difficult to bring them back to health if they were diagnosed with it,” he says.
WHO personnel (left), briefs Prem on the significance of cleaning the solar panels properly.This thorough cleaning process is essential to maintain the optimum efficiency of the panels and uninterrupted power supply.
On the other side of the health post, Manisha Kumari Khadka, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, follows up on patients who have come to the health post. Today, she is calling Sabita Karki, 26, who had just given birth in the health post five days ago. Since the installation of the solar panel on 22 December 2023, she has already delivered five babies.
“I have delivered more than 90 babies in the last three years, and it has been extremely convenient since the installation of the solar panels. We can not only use the warmers for babies, but also the heaters which are essential to keep pregnant women warm,” she says.
Manisha makes her way to Sabita’s post-natal care (PNC) visit. Hindered by the limited road network and scarce transportation options, community members often endure hours-long hikes to reach the nearest health post.
“The solar-powered warmer played a pivotal role in ensuring crucial warmth for Sabita and her newborn during the initial days post-birth, protecting them from many diseases and complications. I am glad to see them both in healthy conditions,” Manisha says.
"When I gave birth to my first child, there were no heaters or warmers. It was hard to keep my baby warm during nighttime. Now, it''s been much easier to keep my newborn comfortable and safe," Sabita says.
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has initiated steps to construct the Lumbini Regional Storage Facility in Rupandehi. The state-owned oil monopoly signed an agreement to this end with Kathmandu University (KU) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR).
Pradeep Yadav, deputy director of NOC and head of the Storage Capacity Expansion Project, and Bibek Baral, head of KU��s Consultancy Department, signed the agreement amid a program on Wednesday. KU committed to completing the DPR within six months.
NOC plans to start construction immediately after the DPR''s completion and relocate the existing depot at Bhalbari by November 2025. Last week, NOC also partnered with Pulchowk Engineering Campus to prepare a DPR for relocating the aviation fuel depot from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
The current Lumbini regional office of NOC, located on about 5.5 bigha of land along the Bhairahawa-Butwal highway, has storage facility for 519 kiloliters of petrol, 3,000 kiloliters of diesel, and 140 kiloliters of kerosene. However, Deputy Director Yadav noted that the storage capacity is insufficient to meet the growing demand, covering only two days of petrol and five days of diesel.
With storage depots in multiple locations, including Kathmandu, Biratnagar, and Nepalgunj, NOC currently has a total storage capacity of 60,384 kiloliters. Nepal depends on imported petroleum products, with NOC sourcing fuel from India''s Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
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