Himalayan Healthcare for 5000: Save Lives in Nepal

From Depression to Recovery: The Importance of Timely Interventions

With this report we bring you the story of Rajendra Bumi (pseudonym) is a 32-year-old father of five, living in the remote village of Bhee Bhitgaun in Mugu, Nepal. Life had never been easy for him and his family. Dependent primarily on sustenance farming, it was never enough to feed his family. He travelled to India to work as daily laborer to meet the needs of his family. With birth of twin boys, providing food and additional care to his family had been a constant challenge. When his wife struggled to produce enough breastmilk, his family had to rely on purchased buffalo milk to feed the infants.

In late August 2024, community members began noticing changes in Rajendra. He had stopped leaving his house. Concerned about his wellbeing, community members informed PHASE Nepal staff, Muna Sharma and Rita Jirel, who then promptly visited his house and encouraged his wife to bring him to the PHASE supported clinic for a check-up.

The next morning, Rajendra came to the health post, and the staff spent an hour taking a detailed history. During the consultation, the staff learned that for over a month, he has been experiencing concerning symptoms, including insomnia, poor appetite, low energy levels, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, social withdrawal, and persistent anxiety. His vital signs indicated slightly low blood pressure (80/50 mmHg), and although other vitals were normal, his appearance were anything but normal. During the mental health evaluation, it became clear that Rajendra was struggling deeply. He sat quietly, avoiding eye contact, speaking only in a slow, subdued voice. Even his personal care had begun to suffer. These signs led the health staff to recognize the early signs of depression.

Initially, he was hesitant to speak. But with patience and reassurance, he eventually opened up about his worries, primarily a fear of not being able to provide for his family, especially after the arrival of the twin babies. He was haunted by thoughts of what would happen to his children if he were no longer there for them. These deep worries had begun to harm his mental and physical health.

Upon learning about his struggles, PHASE Nepal staff began psychosocial support. At the clinic Rajendra received orientation on preparing nutritious food out of grains available at his home. After a regular counselling session, four times a week including observation through home visit, Rajendra could sleep better, regained his appetite, and resumed daily activities in a month. Encouraged by his improvement, he eventually traveled to higher center at Jumla. Physicians at Karnali hospital at Jumla confirmed the diagnosis of depression and started him on appropriate medication. In about two months’ time, Rajendra fully recovered and resumed his daily life. Something that seemed impossible just few months ago had now become a reality, which was an encouraging sign that he had regained his strength and confidence.

 When the PHASE team revisited his home, his wife expressed deep gratitude. She said,

“He is fine now. Thank you, and thanks to PHASE Nepal that you came to our home at the right time. We were about to sacrifice a chicken and wait for the traditional healer. But because of your visit and proper counseling, my husband got the right treatment. Thank you for saving his life.”

Rajendra’s story is powerful reminder that mental health challenges exists everywhere, even in remote communities. In places like Mugu, mental illness is often seen as a spiritual or shamanistic problem rather than a health condition.

This story reflects how early detection of mental health issues and intervention with consistent follow-up can change lives in places like Mugu. Sometimes, all people need is a listener who knows when to act. This success was only possible because of the continued support that allows PHASE Nepal to reach hard-to-reach areas, where mental health services are limited but deeply needed. We are thankful to all our supporters who has made it possible for our team to do impactful work in the hard to reach areas of Nepal.

 PHASE Nepal has continued awareness session on mental health in the community it works with the aim of early detection of mental health cases by family members, relatives and neighbors.