Nepal: Model Village
New Clinic Building Complete: Q1 2019
May 01, 2019
Ganesh Shrestha
Summary of Activities
Soon after the earthquake, RMF began providing much-needed emergency health support to the people of Arupokhari, a remote village in Gorkha district. With the long-term vision of establishing, operating, and sustaining quality health services in the region, in January 2016, RMF opened a health clinic in Arupokhari. The health clinic that was previously operating in the region was severely damaged due to the earthquake, and it had since remained closed. RMF constructed a temporary structure in the same location and has been providing health services such as an outpatient department (OPD) and emergency services, first aid, family planning and counseling, antenatal and postnatal care services, and a supply of pharmaceutical drugs. Health services are provided to the community for free, while pharmaceuticals are supplied at a subsidized rate. However, if any patient is unable to pay for the medicines, RMF provides them for free.
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
New Building
Construction Complete
As per RMF’s plan, construction of a clinic building is now complete, and the contractor has handed over the building to the management committee. Installation of shelves and basic furniture is also done. The management committee has decided to provide clinical services from the newly constructed building starting on May 1, 2019.
Immediate Help
Competent Staff
Santu Tamang was cutting firewood for his own use when, suddenly, a piece of wood struck his forehead and caused bleeding. He rushed himself to RMF clinic where RMF Nurse Laxmi attended him. His wound was deep, and Nurse Laxmi cleaned and sutured it. Then, she dressed it and prescribed him antibiotics for a week. She also asked him to return to the clinic daily to have the wound dressed.
Morbidity Report
1,662 Quarterly Total
The clinic served 529 patients in January, 512 in February, and 621 in March, for a total of 1,662. Of these, 917 were female, and 745 were male. Infectious diseases had the highest number of registered cases at 363 patients. Since opening in January 2016, the RMF Health Clinic has treated 23,163 patients.
Background
& Objectives
Background
In line with RMF’s concepts and the government of Nepal’s vision for a comprehensive and eventually sustainable Model Village, RMF, in close partnership and collaboration with Sarswati Foundation will be working towards the development of a Model Village in Arupokhari. Sarswati Foundation has been working in Arupokhari, Gorkha since 2009 as a non-profit. This was co-founded by Subhash Ghimire, a native from that village and editor-in-chief of the Republica, Nepal’s leading English daily that publishes with the New York Times in Kathmandu.
Following the devastating earthquake, the non-profit has been actively engaged in relief and reconstruction works in the area, which includes providing food and temporary shelter relief to the affected people. So far, the foundation has delivered 7.5 tons (100 sacks of 30 kg rice, 50 sacks of 50 kg lentils, 500 sacks of 0.5 L of oil, 500 packets of 1 kg salt, 495 blankets, 350 tents) to the community, and aims to rebuild the village as a replicable model, which will include earthquake-safe structures designed by architects and engineers, utilizing local natural and human resources to ensure ownership and sustainability, improved healthcare access, education and livelihood programs, based on the needs of the communities and with the leadership of the local people.
Similarly, the village also holds a huge potential as a thriving Manaslu trekking route, along with a 600-megawatt hydro project being planned around in the area. In addition, the community is also actively engaged in production of local agricultural products and livestock. With a thought-out detailed plan, the opportunities of the village could be tapped in to create a replicable, integrated and sustainable Model Village.
RMF supports the rebuilding of Sarswati Peace School (more than 200 students, mostly from economically and culturally marginalized backgrounds) and Darbar Higher Secondary School (public school with more than 400 students), both of which were badly damaged during the earthquake. The current plan is to demolish the existing damaged structure and construct earthquake resistant buildings.
Along with the support to the reconstruction of the schools, the model village project also seeks to help build at least 100 temporary shelters and 700 permanent houses to the identified most vulnerable households in the community and one earthquake resistant local health center. Health services, education, and the economy will be supported for the long-term as the people of Arupokhari build a stronger future in collaboration with RMF and Sarswati.
Objectives
- Rebuild the village as a replicable model, which will include earthquake-safe structures designed by architects and engineers
- Use local natural and human resources to ensure ownership and sustainability
- Improve healthcare access and education based on the needs of the communities and with the leadership of the local people
More
Photos
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Numbers
Served
Patients Served this Quarter
1,662 TOTAL
Male-745
Female-917
Success
Stories
Insect in Ear
Harka Bahadur Tamang
Harka Bahadur Tamang rushed to RMF clinic after an insect flew into his ear. He was restless and apprehensive with pain. RMF Clinical Officer Bishnu assessed his ear with an otoscope and carefully removed the insect. He then prescribed antibiotic ear drops for local application and analgesic for the pain. After removal of the insect, Harka was relieved and thanked Mr. Bishnu for the immediate help.
Rotten Tooth
Pokhari Prasad Sodari
Pokhari Prasad Sodari had a toothache which was taking a toll his daily life, as he could not eat properly or engage in his regular activities due to the pain. Thus, he came to RMF clinic where Clinical Officer Bishnu assessed his condition and found that the tooth which was causing the pain had cavities, and the gums around it were infected. He prescribed antibiotics for one week as well as some analgesics for the pain and asked him to come back after a week. When he arrived at the clinic a week later, Mr. Bishnu extracted the tooth and again prescribed antibiotics for one week. Pokhari was thankful to Mr. Bishnu for taking good care of him during a critical period.
Wound Dressing
Shyam Bahadur Baram
Shyam Bahadur Baram had abdominal surgery and was discharged from the hospital after the necessary treatment. However, the wound was not completely healed. On discharge, he was asked to dress the wound daily. Thus, he came to RMF clinic to have the wound dressed. He is taking his prescribed medicine as directed, and the wound is healing rapidly. Because of the RMF clinic’s convenient location, Shyam was able to have his wound dressed at a minimal cost as well as save the money he would have spent on hotel stays in the hospital town for this phase of his treatment. For that, he is thankful.
Cut Foot
Subash Surkheti
Subash Surkheti is a 12-year-old boy who was playing when he cut his foot on a sharp piece of stone. He was brought to RMF clinic by his mother. His wound was cleaned and dressed, and then a bandage was applied. He was also given a tetanus toxoid injection, for which he was crying. He was summoned to the clinic daily to have the wound dressed and was also given an analgesic for the pain.
Pneumonia
Sulav Shrestha
Sulav Shrestha is an 18-month-old child who was brought to RMF clinic by his mother with a fever and cough which had persisted for 3 days. RMF Clinical Officer Bishnu assessed the child and diagnosed him with pneumonia according to Community Based Integrated Management of Childhood and Neonatal Illnesses (CB-IMNCI), a protocol followed by all health centers in Nepal for diagnosis and management of childhood illnesses. He also prescribed medications according to the same protocol and asked the mother to take Sulav to higher center in case the condition worsened despite the medications. However, Sulav’s condition improved after treatment.
