Providing Free Health Services to 10,000 Villagers

Model village Arupokhari

“Real Medicine foundation has provided good health services in Arupokhari and we are thoroughly impressed by the level of commitment shown by the RMF team. The government health post that I work for is more focused on preventive measures rather than diagnosis which make the presence of RMF in a remote village like Arupokhari even more significant. The RMF clinic has more medicinal supplies, equipment and better health practitioners compared to the government health post. This is why we have frequently referred patients to RMF clinic rather than sending them to district hospital. In our opinion RMF clinic has no alternative in a remote village like Arupokhari” Ms. Parbati Neupane (Government Nurse assigned to Arupokhari VDC and committee member of RMF health committee)

“We are getting all the health services that were not available to us before the arrival of RMF in Arupokhari. It is because of the quality of facilities and services provided by RMF clinic, patients form other villages like Deurali village, come to RMF clinic, even though the government health post is much closer to their village” Mr. Rana Bahadur Baram (Committee Member and resident of Arupokhari)

“RMF clinic provides better services and has better facilities as compared to what is offered by the Government health post. This is why we have seen that RMF clinic has more patients compared to government health clinic” Man Bahadur Gurung (Committee Member and resident of Arupokhari)

“The government health post is open from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon and RMF provides health services any time of the day. This why RMF clinic has become so popular amongst the locals here. If RMF were not to be in our VDC, we would not even have access to a simple drug like paracetamol” Hom Bahadur Ale (Chairperson of the RMF health committee)

“Our team has shown unparalleled commitment to the objectives of RMF in Arupokhari of creating a model village by trying to strengthen the health services here. Our team is dedicated and committed to providing quality health services 24 hours a day. We have not denied health services to anyone even in the middle of the night” Mr. Bishnu Prasad Sharma (RMF representative at Arupokhari)

Introduction to Village

Arupokhari, a village nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern Gorkha is one of the most isolated villages in Nepal. It takes 5 hour drive to reach Gorkha Bazar form the capital, Kathmandu and another 5 hour drive in the rocky and rough terrain to reach Arupokhari village, in a vehicle. The narrow passages in the high hills make it extremely difficult and risky to reach the village and the conditions are even worse in the monsoon season. A vehicle this far up north is a rare sight. It was not surprising to know that the village was deprived of proper health care facilities and medicinal supplies prior to the arrival of Real Medicine Foundation.

The people living in the community did not have immediate access to proper health care, which made them inclined towards traditional health remedies including witch doctors. Even for minor health issues such as chest infection or diarrhea, patients had to walk for a whole day to reach the nearest health facility in Gorkha Bazar. Some patients didn’t even seek health care leading severity of health cases or even death in many instances. Even the pregnant ladies in labor had to endure the long and harsh trip to visit a birthing center. The unforgiving travel to the health post was detrimental to the health of the patients but the patients had no option but to endure the long and punishing trip even in poor health conditions.

The people living in Arupokhari are not aware about health, sanitation and remedies to minor health issues that could easily be solved at home. There are many misconception in the village such as, modern medicines are addictive, and drinking water causes diarrhea, and many more, which leads to people village living unhealthy and unsanitary lives which leaves them prone to diseases.

RMF’s Initiatives

Since January 2016, our health clinic in Arupokhari has treated 1,977 patients. It is worth noting that the number of patients visiting RMF clinic in Gorkha has been increasing since January 2016. In the month of January 2016 we had a total of 283 patients (137 males and 146 female). This number has gone up to 531 in the month of May 2016 (247 male and 284 female). The increase in number of patients every month can be owed to the dedication with which RMF team has implanted its health care program in the village.

The community has expressed their gratitude to the RMF team on many occasions for making basic health care facility available to them at their doorstep.

The most commonly diagnosed illness includes

1. Respiratory (pneumonia, Bronchitis chronic and acute, ARI).
2. Abdominal (Gastritis/Peptic Ulcer).
3. Skin (wounds, cut injuries, fungal infection, and scabies).
4. Hypertension.
5. Gynaecology related.

The health clinic is well equipped and kept well stocked with necessary drugs at all times. The Arupokhari clinic is accessible to the patients, 7 days a week and almost 24 hours a day. Our team in Arupokhari has a quarter very close to the clinic and has never denied medical attention to anybody at any time. The clinic is accessible to more than seven thousand people living in Arupokhari and other nearby villages including Tandrang, Chanaute andDeurali. The team in Arupokhari also provides mobile health services, visiting patients in their homes, if they are not able to come to the clinic. The team in Arupokhari is now equipped to handle even complicated cases including dental problems and only very few cases are now referred to the district hospital. The people of Arupokhari have never had access to health facilities like this before.

The availability of health clinic within the village has brought about positive changes in the lives of people here. The RMF team has organized many one to one sessions, group sessions and awareness programs on multiple health issues, in all the wards of Arupokhari village. The sessions generally include discussions on:

1. Personal hygiene and environmental sanitation like hand washing, use of bathroom, dental hygiene etc.
2. Communicable diseases and how to prevent from contracting diseases like common cold, measles Tuberculosis etc.
3. Immunization of newly born.
4. Malnutrition and training how to prepare nutritious food at home with locally available food.
5. Awareness on health hazards from alcohol and smoking.

RMF’s Future Goals

1. Health post with birthing center

RMF clinic currently resides in a temporary structure made up of zinc sheets. Almost all of the buildings were completely demolished in the earthquake and the team had to set up its clinic in a temporary structure. RMF intends to work in Aupokhari for a long time and for that, RMF will need to build a new health post which will comprise of a much needed birthing center too. Also, RMF will hire a full time midwifery expert to attend the birthing center.

2. Small lab

RMF intends to setup a small lab so that minor tests for diagnosis can be carried out at the village itself.

3. Two health camps in a year 

RMF will carry out at least two health camps in a year. Many people are in need of health care attention and they are either ignorant or too stubborn to admit it. If they won’t come to the clinic, RMF team will go the patients to make them aware of their health needs. The health camps will be conducted under the supervision of experienced doctors and RMF team stationed in Arupokhari.

 4. Multiple training sessions on health education.

RMF intends to do more group sessions and health awareness programs related to sanitation, midwifery training, malnutrition, immunization and many more.