Healthcare & Opportunity in the Hidden Himalayas

Winter in Humla is difficult for everyone. Deep snow restricts movement and the district becomes relatively cut-off for a couple of months. Of course this is normal and the locals are adapted to living in these conditions but in our modern high-tech world planes can't fly and building work has to stop. The good news is that spring has arrived and our new Birthing Centre at Bargaun is nearing completion. Plans are moving speedily ahead for new Birthing Centres at Sarkegad and Yari due to start in 2014. These will provide valuable maternal care in the south, middle and north of the district and will complement our existing chain of health clinics. The Nepal Trust has forged new links with the ISIS Foundation to jointly manage and operate our health clinics in Yalbang and Kermi. This collaboration provides an additional funding stream to upgrade the clinics and improve our services. A new Community Medical Assistant (CMA), Mrs Pratima Lama, has recently been recruited to work at the Kermi clinic to support an increasing workload and to give local women more confidence to seek medical help and support. A recruitment campaign is currently underway to employ a qualified Health Manager to look after the NT/ISIS health programmes throughout the district. Hot springs are a major feature at Kermi and plans are being drawn up to pipe the hot water to the clinic to help improve hygiene procedures. This is an exciting year for the Nepal Trust with new projects approved in agriculture, education and water and sanitation. These will all help to improve personal well-being and the general health of the local populations. Thank you again to all our friends and supporters on GlobalGiving. We hope you can continue to support the people of the 'Hidden Himalayas'; one of the remotest and most deprived areas of the world. It is not easy working there but it is insightful and very rewarding to both beneficiaries and donors alike.

In September ten volunteers, from Yorkshire and Somerset, trekked for 14 days to help construct our latest clinic at the village of Bargaon. Daytime temperatures were extremely hot and the trails were difficult due to the increase in pony and sheep caravans resulting from new bridge reconstruction after the devastations of the recent civil war.

 On the way they were able to inspect the clinic at Sarkegad and were very pleased with what they saw. The clinic is jointly operated with the government and our health worker provides emergency and weekend care. On an average day the clinic will see about 40 patients but during the monsoon this can climb to as many as 100 per day.

Two dentists on the trek treated a total of 75 patients.

On arrival at Bargaon the group was able to contribute to the building operations and by the time they left the walls were up to roof level and all windows were in place. The building should be wind and water tight by the winter and ready for completion in the spring. This clinic will be the first dedicated Birthing Centre in Humla and will give pregnant mothers a safe and clean place to give birth to their babies compared to traditional practices.

The Nepal Trust  intends to expand this initiative throughout Humla over the coming years. In 2014 we are building Birthing Centres in Sarkegad and in the village of Yari further north towards the Tibetan border. We still need to source funding for these projects and would welcome any help or advice our friends and supporters can give.

Earlier this year Recite Films of Scotland made a documentary, free of charge, about the work of the Nepal Trust. This film explains in some detail the varied work we are involved in and how we adopt an integrated approach to help improve the living standards and quality of life of some of the poorest people on the planet living on the edge in the Hidden Himalayas. The Trust is excited to announce that this film has recently been voted the top documentary award at the recent Institute of Videography Awards ceremony in Manchester. To view this film visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oejHREw2NYY&feature=youtu.be

Finally, everyone at the Nepal Trust would like to wish all our friends and supporters all the very best for the festive season and for the coming new year 2013. We hope that, along with our own wishes, the new year will bring 'hope and opportunity' to you all.

With best wishes.

Links:

• Nepal Trust website.
• Our Facebook page

This year the Nepal Trust has completed 3 Little Doctor programs successfully in the villages of Simikot, Bargaun and Yalbang to teach young school children the basics of health, sanitation, hygiene, family planning, first aid and the like. The classes have produced another 66 Little Doctors who have obtained valuable knowledge on how to live a healthier life and who will share their lessons learned with other family, and community members.

Also in Bargaun the construction of our Birthing Center has started and on October 1^st a group of Nepal Trust
supporters and volunteers will arrive at Bargaun after an adventurous 2-week trek from Jumla district all the way up to Bargaun village, to help with the construction of the center.

Both projects, as well as the Torpa clinic have been visited by Global Giving USA representatives, who were very impressed with the work of Nepal Trust, and how the projects make a true difference to the lives of the Himalayan communities.

The core health program itself is progressing well and new batches of medicines have been sent to the clinics. On
request of the community we have added a skilled Community Medical Assistant (CMA) to the Sarkegad clinic in South Humla. Sarkegad is rapidly growing into an economical and social hub in the area and provision of trained health workers and medication is vital for the health conditions of this growing population. The CMA is supporting the clinic and government health workers by treating patients and keeps records of daily activities.

Shari Davis and Ellen Currin are InTheField Travelers with GlobalGiving who are visiting our partners' projects throughout Nepal. Their "Postcard" from their most recent visit in Nepal:

A three-hour hike deep in the mountains of Northwest Nepal brought us to the remote village of Torpa, where we visited a health post supported by the Nepal Trust. One of the many projects supported through the organization, the health clinic was built to support the health needs of several remote villages. Unfortunately, the healthcare worker was out of the district to have her baby, and we were unable to speak with her about the population served by the clinic.

The next day, we hiked down the mountain to visit a school where the Little Doctors program is being implemented. “Little doctors” are students who have specialized health training provided by teachers and community health workers. During our visit, we took part in an assembly where one group of students who had completed the four months of training received their certificates and graduated from the program. We were also able to witness the new group of around 20 students begin their studies with learning symptoms and treatments of common infectious diseases. Sagar, a local employee of Nepal Trust, told us the program has been running for over 10 years and has produced over 250 “little doctors” in different communities around the impoverished district of Humla.

 During our visit in the remote district of Humla, we were able to stay at the friendly Nepal Trust guesthouse and see projects they have started to further their impact at the community level. In the town of Simikot, we visited a government hospital and a private hospital, which had both received support from the organization in the past. We also saw the land purchased for a future micro-hydro project in the same town, as well as land for a birthing center to be built by a nearby village. The staff of Nepal Trust has been very welcoming and made us feel at home in this beautiful, remote area of Nepal!

• Plan for Barguan Birthing Centre (PDF)