Health Post Funding in Nepal

GlobeMed at Tufts is partnered with PHASE (Practical Help Achieving Self-Empowerment), which is an NGO that works to reduce poverty on a sustainable basis in remote Himalayan regions of Nepal through integrated programs in healthcare, education, and livelihood. Established in 2006, PHASE has been working to address the needs of these remote communities through a practical and people-centered approach. GlobeMed at Tufts has specificially been funding a health outpost in Bichhya, Bajura, in Far-Western Nepal. Bichhya, the community within the Bajura District where PHASE runs a health outpost, is very remote due to its location of about a 4 days walk from Bajura district headquarters over mountainous terrain. Therefore, challenges like accessibility and basic service delivery such as healthcare are prominent within this district.

PHASE has been working to increase the accessibility of such health services, and has provided general health services to a total of 5, 216 people from June of 2016 to July of 2017. Common health problems faced by the beneficiaries of the PHASE health outpost include gastritis, gastroenteritis, respiratory issues such as pneumonia, malnutrition, and ENT problems. Child health has also been a focus of PHASE in the past year as children's immune systems put them at a higher risk of infectious diseases. PHASE has therefore emphasized CB-IMNCI, or Community-Based Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness, a set of guidelines developed by the government of Nepal, and helped to provide immunization to 435 children and growth monitoring for 656 children from June of 2016 to July of 2017. 

In addition to basic health services, public health activities such as community health education programs, immunization programs, child protection programs, door to door health education programs, and health program management committee meetings have been emphasized in Bichhya. PHASE has also run several Traditional Healer Training programs to empower traditional healers such as Dhami and Jhakri with fuller understanding of the diseases that villagers often come to see them for and to ensure referal to community health centers when it may be necessary. 

We at GlobeMed at Tufts have been working hard in preparing for the upcoming school year and planning several fundraisers to continue supporting the health outpost in Bichhya. We truly appreciate your contributions, the generosity of our donors, and the effort and time each of our chapter members have dedicated to GlobeMed at Tufts. 

GlobeMed at Tufts is one of 56 chapters nationwide committed to health care and public health equity abroad. Our chapter is specifically partnered with PHASE Nepal, an NGO working to improve education, health, and livelihood opportunities for local communities in Nepal through a sustainable, self-empowerment grassroots framework. 

This Spring Semester, our focus is primarily on fundraising for the running of several PHASE implemented health programs, including the Bichhya health post in Bajura district. This funding will cover cost of staff, training, and activities related to health and hygiene, and is essential to the continuity of care the community members of Bajura and other districts in Nepal have demonstrated a need for. A few of the impacts that these donations in Bajura will fund include: 2000 Patients will be getting primary treatment at PHASE Supported clinics in Bajura and other low-resource Himalayan regions, 25 Child births will be supported by skilled birth workers, 100 new born babies will get health checks by PHASE health staff, and about 20 traditional healers of the community will receive training concerning modern diseases and treatment. Of particular importance is the fact that through training local community members and providing continued medical support from PHASE staff, PHASE emphasizes long-term solutions and maintainable self-empowerment. Through focusing on making sustainable contributions to these remote Himalayan regions of Nepal, PHASE works to empower community members long-term and enables grassroots reformation. 

We have collectively worked incredibly hard this past semester and we truly appreciate your contributions, the generosity of our donors, and the effort and time each of our chapter members have dedicated to GlobeMed at Tufts. We have also made a stronger effort to understand how we as individuals from a privileged position can (positively and negatively) impact communities in Nepal. We are currently (as of 4/24/17) $890 into our $8,000 goal and expect to have many donations coming for match day this Monday.We just had a carnival campaign and bake sale where we raised almost $300 and also have been receiving donations from many generous doners. With this upcoming match day we hope to make a huge dent in our goal!