Medical care & rehabilitation changing lives Nepal

Namaste and welcome to our November project report.

Whether you have made a general donation, or one that supports the wages of MeRO’s clinical staff, or your generosity has provided medical care to MeRO’s patients, or it has been used to purchase essential medications, medical equipment and supplies, we are all so grateful for your ongoing support.

Since our last report, Saugat, Sundari, Raaju, Moti, Sita, Yehsoda and Gulchana have been discharged. 32 year-old Shoba has been treated for TB of her spine; 14 year old Gautam was operated to remove a large osteochondroma (a benign bone tumour) from his arm and his sister was also reviewed as she has the same condition. She will have surgery at a later date. Pasupati is having treatment for a large abdominal cyst; 26 year old Ram had a total hip replacement; Dilli had an ankle amputation for osteosarcoma; Mamata had surgery to remove gallstones; 7 year-old Milan returned for his second surgery to correct his deafness; and 14 year-old Sarbendra presented MeRO with possibly the greatest challenge they have ever had.

Sarbendra was out grazing the family’s goats and saw something lying on the ground. Not knowing what it was, he picked it up. Unfortunately, it was a live wire. He was electrocuted and sustained burns to his back, right hand, and various part of his body. Luckily his face was spared. He was initially taken to a major hospital, but the $6,000 loan taken out by his family ran out within a week. The hospital told his parents to take Sarbendra home to die as without money they would no longer treat him. His parents had no other options.They took him home but they could not cope with his distress. In desperation they went to the local primary health post and from there he was sent to a local hospital where amazingly, someone knew of MeRO’s work.

It took 40 hours to organize his arrival in Kathmandu which happened late at night. When Samrat and Devindra met the ambulance, the hospital that had been lined up would not accept him - they said they were full and there were no paediatric beds available. Several hospitals and several hours later they were still unable to find a hospital to accept him, so they took him to the Shelter and tried again the next day. Finally they found a hospital who agreed to treat him. Since then it has been all systems go.

Sarbendra has had multiple surgeries including several skin grafts and an amputation of his right hand. He was in Intensive Care for several weeks but was then moved into the high dependency unit and is doing really well. The doctors said ‘We are so thankful to your organization that you helped him and brought him to us. Once he is shifted to general ward we will celebrate that day .’

We will continue to keep you updated about his progress.

This report comes with best wishes and grateful thanks from us, everyone at MeRO and all the patients whose lives your generosity has changed.

As Christmas is not far away, we hope Santa is good to you all, and you have a happy and peaceful festive season.

With best wishes and grateful thanks,

Virginia Dixon

President, Roads to Rehab Nepal