Bring healthcare to thousands in rural Nepal

8^th May 2018

Namaste Friends,

Since 26 years, HHC continues to respond to the urgent health needs of patients mostly from road-less remote villages of northern Dhading namely Tipling, Sertung and Lapa who are dependent on basic health services from government run village health posts manned by health assistants who are barely available because of many training programs, unpredictable transfers and poor monitoring. 

As part of our vital services, HHC continued to support patients with little or no financial means through medical camps and referrals to city hospitals for specialized care or surgical intervention since February 2018.

Medical camp in Sertung and Jharlang in April 2018:

HHC conducted the spring 2018 medical trek camp with the financial support of Direct Relief International (DRI) and the help of three international medical volunteers, namely Dr. Steven Zabin (ophthalmologist), Dr. Pamela Ogor (family medicine) and Dr. Astrid Haaland (Emergency room). They were supported by the cofounder, CEO as well as the medical and trek team of HHC along with local health providers, village volunteers and porters. The team walked for several days and lived out of tents for nine days in remote northern Dhading. In spite of severe weather that shortened the medical trek by three days, HHC team was able to hold a medical camp on 5^th and 6^th of April in Sertung and 11^th April in Jharlang and serve patients who would otherwise not have received care. (Please see table)

 Village       Male    Female      Subtotal        Under 15         16-69            Over 70

 Sertung        94           219             313                    34            214                    65

Jharlang        23             49               72                    11              46                    15

Total            117            268            385                    45            260                    80

Out of the 385 patients from Sertung, Tipling, Lapa and Jharlang who were served 102 were screened for cataract but their other health needs were also addressed. A third of the patients were treated for gastrointestinal ailments such as gastritis, diarrhea, worm infestation, etc. About 20 patients were treated for COPD and asthma mainly caused by smoke-filled homes and tobacco smoking. A fourth of the patients were treated for infections of ear, nose, skin, dental, urinary tract and STD mainly related to poor general and dental hygiene. Because of the physical stress of living in these mountainous villages and trauma, over 50 patients complained of joint and bone pains. Some of them had poorly set fractures and osteoarthritis. Cases of animal bites, epilepsy, migraine and neuro-psychiatry were also seen and treated at the camps. Seven health providers namely Uttam Tamang (Auxiliary health worker or AHW), Niroj Yonjan(Health Assistant or HA), Phulmaya (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife or ANM), Sita Yonjan (ANM), Elisha Ghale (AHW), Raj Tamang (HA) and Yoram Tamang (HA) were provided hands-on training and formal lectures by the visiting international health volunteers during these medical trek camps.

Eye Camp in Jharlang:

After carrying out a house-to-house survey with the help of several Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) in the five villages of Sertung, Tipling, Jharlang, Ree and Lapa, 700 eye patients were identified based on which HHC decided on an eye camp which was conducted from the 7^th to the 13^th of April in Jharlang village of Khaniyabas Rural Municipality with the financial support of DRI. 685 patients were screened, 326 were treated and 57 were operated for cataract. HHC is grateful to Dr. Kamal Khadka, a Nepali ophthalmologist and his eye team of six members for their service. HHC is also grateful to all the local volunteers. Again due to bad weather, the camp had to be shortened from seven to five days as patient numbers diminished significantly during the last two days.

Other than the cataract surgeries, patients were also treated for refractive error and provided glasses. There were cases of presbyopia, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, dry eyes, glaucoma, chalazion, etc., many of which were treated.

HHC will conduct another eye camp and a medical trek camp after the monsoon season in the fall of 2018.

Referred patients:

Since 26 years, over 1600 patients have been referred from these remote villages with the help of the government health posts and financially supported in city hospitals by HHC. Many of these referred patients have never been to a city with little understanding about city life in general and therefore had to be escorted to Kathmandu city by HHC staff. They were cared for in the hospital but were also helped with basics like crossing a busy street, interacting with shopkeepers to buy food and other essentials, using a flushed toilet, buying and wearing city clothes in place of their traditional ethnic wear to look less strange, etc.

Seven patients were referred and treated at various hospitals in Kathmandu between March and April 2018, namely T. Didijom, T. M. Ishwori, S. Pushpa, S. Sujata, K. Tek Bahadur, P. Nilam and B. Durga. (Note: Only initials have been used in place of family names, to protect the privacy of patients). They were treated for heart problem, severe arthritis, gynecological problems, etc., and were provided full diagnostics and medicines as prescribed by specialists. Thanks to your support that these patients received such vital care.

Health Infrastructure:

The construction of the Dhading District Hospital outpatient building and staff quarter which are financially supported by AmeriCares Inc. Foundation is ongoing and will be completed by September and handed over to the health authorities to serve over 60,000 patients annually. DRI has agreed to furnish the eight health posts and the outpatient building to make them fully functional.

While we provide vital services to our desperate village patients, we always remain grateful to you who make all this possible. 

We thank you for your support,

Himalayan HealthCare

Links:

• Himalayan HealthCare website for more info