By Sarah Galvin | Director - PHASE Worldwide
Kashigaun and Keraunja are remote VDCs of Gorkha, situated near the epicentre of the devastating earthquakes that first struck Nepal on the 25th of April 2015. In these areas there are few or no basic services, while the hilly terrain means families are often unable to produce food all year round, putting them at greater risk of health problems. Following the earthquakes, the health posts in both Kashigaun and Keraunja were badly damaged. In the absence of health posts, the people in both the VDCs had to access health services in temporary and hugely inadequate facilities. It was therefore of paramount importance to construct new health posts to provide at least basic health services.
PHASE Nepal oversaw the construction of pre-fabricated health posts, following technical guidance set out by the Ministry of Health (MoH). One particularly important construction was the birthing centre. Mortality rates in the region are very high, owing in part to a lack of knowledge of important hygienic precautions. Only 2% of respondents to a 2016 survey used a recommended antibiotic cream for cleaning the umbilical cord stub, while 16% did not apply anything. The construction of a birthing centre therefore provides an important hub of knowledge for these populations, as well as the practical equipment necessary to ensure safe births. The centre and health posts were equipped with stethoscopes, digital thermometers, weighing machines for infants and adults, cervical repair sets, resuscitation sets for infants, and vacuum pumps. In addition, furniture such as mattresses, pillows, cots, instrument trolleys, and new born resuscitation tables were provided to both health posts.
The construction of pre-fab health posts and the birthing centre will allow people to access services that were disturbed by the earthquake. By providing a clean, safe environment as well as all necessary equipment, health posts are a vital facility for improving the health of remote communities.
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