District Jail, Darchula, has been facing difficulties in conducting health check-ups of inmates due to the absence of a health worker for the past six months. Although there is a sanctioned post for an Auxiliary Health Worker (AHW), no health worker has been posted at the jail since July 2025.
Jailer Sarita Chand said that inmates tend to fall ill more during the cold season, but with the health worker’s post remaining vacant, even basic check-ups have become difficult. Even for minor illnesses, inmates have to be taken from jail to the district hospital.
The district hospital is located 500 meters downhill from the jail. Inmates have to be taken to the district hospital with the assistance of security personnel. The office does not have a vehicle. Taking inmates far for routine check-ups itself creates problems, she said.
According to Jailer Chand, most inmates in the jail are suffering from piles. She said that the lack of exercise might be the reason for the high prevalence of piles among inmates.
At present, the ‘Class D’ district jail is holding more than twice its capacity. The jail, which has a capacity of 40 inmates, 25 men and 15 women, currently houses 91 individuals, including 70 convicts and 21 detainees, Jailer Chand said. As there are no female inmates at the moment, male inmates have been kept in the women’s ward. She said that managing male inmates will become very difficult as soon as female inmates arrive.
According to Jailer Chand, inmates are also facing difficulties in accessing toilets. They are sleeping together in the cold. If the number of inmates increases in the same way during the summer, accommodation management will become the biggest challenge. The jail currently houses one elderly male inmate and two male inmates with disabilities.
Inmates have demanded that skill-based training programs be conducted in the jail. They said that instead of sitting idle inside the jail, conducting skill development training would make it easier to pass the time.