Today we would like to introduce you to an important member of our medical team, Health Assistant Geeta .
Geeta's duties at the hospital are to work under the doctor’s supervision in treating and counseling patients, visiting communities to hold ‘mini health camps’ and health awareness programs, and provide health and hygiene knowledge to villagers (especially women).
Geeta was born in the Taplejung district of eastern Nepal, an alpine region that stretches below Nepal’s Kanchenjunga (at 28,169 ft the third highest mountain in the world). She grew up with 4 sisters and 2 younger brothers. Like many children, she walked 3 hours from her home to school every day. By the time she completed grade 7 it looked like this would be the end of her schooling. It took some convincing her parents to allow her to move to Banepa in Kavrepalanchok where she rented a small room and continued her education from grade 8 to 10 at the local secondary school.
Geeta’s dream was to become a doctor. She would have liked to enroll in college to earn a MBB degree, however this was way beyond her parents’ means. Rather than give up on her dream she was determined to find another, more affordable path. That’s when she heard about a 3 year Health Assistant training program at Iwamura College of Health Sciences in Bhaktapur and soon enrolled in their program.
Her studies successfully completed she opted to gain practical experience by applying her new skills at an integrated community development health center for three years. Geeta had hoped to take her skills back to her village to benefit her community and also her family and younger siblings. However without a hospital in the area opportunities looked bleak. Through a friend she heard about an opening for a Health Assistant at the Rajbash Hospital and before long she joined their medical staff.
Geeta still dreams of one day earning a Bachelor of Public Health degree. In the meantime she will continue to use her skills in service to her community. Having recently married the school teacher at Rajbash elementary school we hope that Geeta will be attending to the health needs of this community for a long time to come.
Farming in the hilly country of Nepal is back breaking work. Tending to buffaloes, goats and chickens, carrying bundles of firewood for cooking and grass to feed animals take a toll on the body. Cuts, broken bones and joint pains in the elderly are conditions we face on a daily basis. We were therefore appreciative that in December of last year we were able to offer a free Chinese Acupuncture Health Camp, courtesy of the Chinese Care and Support Association. The camps were a huge success. We served 226 patients from villages close and far. As one of the volunteers commented at the end of the day: “They seem very happy with the treatment and got big smile on their faces”!
If you have been reading this report, you have been with us for a good part of our journey. The continuing access to medical and outreach services would not be possible without your ongoing support and generosity. For that we are deeply grateful.
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By Chanda Lama, Co- Project Manager
Namaste, A warm greeting from Nepal
What an exciting 3 months it has been! We served a total of 1800 patients, a healthy increase over previous quarters. This is not only the result of better record keeping but also the result of our increased focus on outreach into more remote localities.
While we still conduct our Free General Health Camps that routinely attract several hundred patients who come to be treated for free, we have now started to conduct Mini Health Camps in smaller villages. These have proven to be very popular with disabled and senior citizens as well as our very young patients. It allows them to get health check-ups as well as medications for free and at a more reasonable walking distance. As patient numbers are generally smaller, these camps require fewer staff members. Still, in many cases they have to hike for several hours with medical supplies on their back to reach remote villages.
An example is the Mini Health Camp held at Shree Darga Basic School in Doramba, Ramechhap District, on Nov. 14th, attended by 91 patients, most of them suffering from Acute Pulmonary distress, Multiple sclerosis pain, joint pain and Respiratory Tract infections. To make the journey worthwhile, 21 students in grades 1 to 5 were given a class in personal hygiene.
Another Free General Health Camp on Sep. 2nd at Shree Tara Lamo School in Wanthali, two hours walk from the hospital, was attended by 104 patients. Four of our medical staff and a manager went with medicines to conduct the camp.
Two of our super versatile and capable women staff members, Outreach coordinator Shova Kumari Dhungana and Medical Assistant Geeta Kadariya continue to reach out to teen girls through personal hygiene classes and the distribution of eco-friendly sanitary pads. Speaking openly about bodily functions helps reduce the shameful feelings girls experience about menstruation. Having access to sanitary pads is also resulting in a remarkable reduction of truancy by teen girls during the time of menses.
Ms. Shova also took her Health Awareness program to 7 different communities educating villagers about common diseases like typhoid fever, dengue fever, Scrub typhoid, respiratory disease and hypertension.
Inspite of her full schedule, Ms. Shova always makes time for pre- and post natal visits, reminding pregnant patients to have regular check-ups, and teaching new mothers about new born and cord care, the importance of immunization, healthy nutrition, and family planning.
As you can see, much is happening at and around the Rajbash hospital, and more than we have here recounted here. Stay tuned for our next report end of February with an introduction to one of our staff members.
Reaching Out to Many More
By Chanda Lama, Co- Project Manager
Namaste, A warm greeting from Nepal
Besides Our regular hospital operation, we are now rapidly increasing our Outreach Activities by reaching in different communities with various health awareness programs and mini health camps. The month of June, July and August have been very progressive.
- DCWC Community Hospital conducted a Free General Health Camp on August 9th at Dutti, Approx 2 hours walk distance from hospital at Shree Kalika Malika Primary School and treated 86 Patients. Our 2 Medical staffs and a manager went with few medicines to conduct this camp.
- 4 Medical staffs and a manager from the hospital went by foot approx 1.5 hours to Punditar, Doramba along with sugar testing kits to conduct a Free Blood Sugar Testing on July 5th and served 32 Patients at Shree Antarastriya Yuwa Barsa Secondary School and they also held an awareness class on this topic.
- Outreach Educator and 2 other staffs went to Shree Kallabari Secondary School, 5 hrs walk from hospital with Eco friendly Sanitary pads and distributed to 53 teenagers students and conducted a hygiene class. Similarly we have distributed sanitary pads to 52 teenagers at Shree Suryadhaya Secondary School, Wangthali after walking 3 hrs from our hospital.
- 6 volunteers from France, as a part of a University graduation came to Rajbash Hospital and went to 3 different schools to teach personal health and hygiene with or outreach educator and distributed Soaps, Toothbrushes and toothpastes to numbers of Students listed below.
1. Shree Buddha Himalayan Secondary, Majpheda,2 hrs walk from hospital, 69 students participated. . 2. Shree Kallabari Secondary, Kallabari, 5 hrs walk from hospital, 95 students participated. . 3.ShreeSuryadhaya Secondary, Wangthali, 3 hrs walk from hospital, 36 students participated.
Besides these lots of Health awareness conduct in different communities on Jaundice, Mumps, Enteric fever, Typhoid, URTI, Tuberculosis and Water Purification which helps to prevent being sick on monsoon season in Nepal.
We have just built a waste burner down the road to manage the waste and keep the environment healthy for villagers.
Mini renovations at hospital premises have taken place in the month of July and August with the help of France volunteers.
- 6 volunteers from France from different faculties went to Rajbash to teach about the important of environment and plantation and also supported with gardening tools and did some plantation at Hospital premises.
- Another 5 Engineering Students from France help to repair and mention the fences and Flage poles at hospital.
We are very grateful to all of you for your financial support to continue our services for the rural communities of Nepal and please keep supporting us to save many lives in upcoming days.
As previously reported, our small rural Hospital in Rajbash continues to treat a steady patient load of 300 to 350 individuals per month. We are providing basic medical care that includes diagnostics and treatment, peri-natal services, maternal & child services, non-complicated surgeries, pharmacy services. However this number increases substantially if we take into account outreach to the villages by the midwives and nurses.
The month of April has been particularly productive because we held two of our always well attended free clinics: one for Dermatology and another for VIA (Visual Inspection of Acetic Acid) and general Gynecology.
The Dermatology Clinic was set up and fully staffed by our hospital. We examined and treated 271 patients who came with a host of different ailments. One very large problem is a skin rash caused by scabies, a communicable disease that, if infected and left untreated can lead to more serious problems down the road. Disinfectants and medical ointments are not found in most poor households and necessitate a visit to the hospital and pharmacy.
The VIA & Gynecology Clinic was set up by the Health Unit of the Village Municipal Administration of Rajbash with government doctors while our hospital staff provided logistical and medical support for 100 women who took advantage of this free service which included regular gynecological exams and consultations as well as testing for various cancers through VIA.
While the Clinics were held, an inauguration celebration for our new ambulance, donated by our sister organization in Oakland, California, was held. Up to 450 appreciative villagers, patients and staff attended and celebrated this important event. The new ambulance will now transport patients in need of more serious hospital care to Kathmandu, while the old ambulance, after years of service on terrible roads less reliable, will be used for local patient pick-up around closer to the hospital.
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In our reports we often refer to our Rajbash Hospital. It is in fact the DCWC Community Hospital located in the small rural village of Rajbash and opened in 2010. DCWC refers to the founding non profit organization’s original name: Development of Children and Women’s Center.
An accupuncture clinic was held on Dec. 21st at the Hospital. 236 patients were treated, coming from villages as far as a 6 hour walk. This, our second accupuncture clinic, was jointly sponsored by the Chinese organization Care and Support. We were surprised to see such widespread participation in this event and we are delighted to be able to offer yet another healing modality to the community. Many of the treated patients expressed deep gratitude.
Another First Aid Camp was held on Dec. 28 at the Shree Khanda Secondary School near Chauri Deurali. This camp was staffed by our hospital staff and is held mainly to deal with minor injuries and health complaints. These First Aid Camps are always well attended, especially when held at locations far from the hospital. They are also an example of our outreach into communities at some distance from the hospital. We think of the hospital in Rajbash as a hub from which branches reach into even remote villages. Each camp provides points of contact in traditionally underserved areas, allows us to identify potentially serious health issues and refer these back to the hospital for treatment.
We hope you'll enjoy our photos from the Accupuncture Clinic - look for the needles in the middle four pictures.
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