Re-establish a Healthcare Infrastructure in Nepal

Namaste!

Thank you for your generous support for Nepal in the six months since the earthquakes!  Your contributions have greatly aided our emergency response in Dhading and Sindhupalchok, where more than half of the existing birthing centers and health facilities were destroyed or severely damaged.

Damaged health facilities resulted in many deliveries being conducted in unsanitary conditions such as in tents or even on the streets, with reduced access to birthing centers compelling many mothers to give birth at home. In the months following the earthquake, One Heart’s emergency relief teams reported higher numbers of neonatal deaths and post-partum sepsis, one of the leading causes of death for mothers and newborns.

Drawing on its strong local knowledge and relationships, One Heart has met the Nepali government’s request to set up 20 fully-equipped temporary birthing tents in Dhading and Sindhupalchok, and plans to reinforce and renovate partially damaged facilities to meet certified birthing center standards. These tents have been essential points of accessible healthcare for many expecting mothers in the months since the earthquakes, equipped with skilled birth attendants, medical supplies, portable ultrasounds, and solar suitcases to provide reliable electricity.

Jyoti, 23, was pregnant with her third child when the earthquakes hit, demolishing her home and forcing her family to move into a temporary shelter. Married at 17 to a farmer, she says that lack of knowledge and access to healthcare in her remote village community dissuaded her from seeking prenatal care during previous pregnancies. She had been planning to visit the nearest birthing center for this pregnancy, but it was closed after the aftershocks, severely limiting her options, especially in transitional housing. After hearing of the temporary birthing centers from a shelter visit by a One Heart emergency team member, Jyoti was able to start attending check-ups in nearby Maidi with skilled birth attendant (SBA) Gita, and delivered a healthy baby girl on November 1.

Jyoti and women like her are able to have the clean, safe, attended births they need thanks to your support. As we put more permanent structures in place, the tents continue to serve as functional health posts, providing much needed services to women and children.

Thank you for your continued support!