Nepal: Kanti Childrens Hospital

Hospital Provided With Needed Supplies: January – May 2016

August 28, 2016

Suman Gurung

Nepal Initiative Reports

RMF-donated medicines and medical supplies

Partnering Together with Local NGOs

Nepali Organizations Supporting Children’s Health

Kanti Children’s Hospital is the only government referral level children’s hospital in Nepal providing medical care to children up to age 14. The hospital treats children from all over the country, with a total target population of about 14 million children. The hospital’s administration is overseen by Kanti Children’s Hospital Development Board, which is an autonomous body under Nepal’s Ministry of Health. Kanti Children’s Hospital depends heavily on the government for financial support and human resources. Thus, although the hospital provides free health services to underprivileged patients, there are always constraints with regard to the availability of funds, which makes it challenging to provide medical support to every child that is referred to the hospital.

Social Action Volunteers (SAV) is a local NGO that was established in 1988 to address gaps and serve the neediest patients of Kanti Children’s Hospital and their families. A majority of the patients at Kanti Children’s Hospital are referred from the poorest and most remote areas of Nepal. SAV provides various support programs to long-term care (two weeks or longer) patients and their caregivers in the non-paying ward of Kanti Children’s Hospital.

Services and supplies provided by SAV include:

medicines
a blood bank
lab services
transportation
food supplements for patients and their caregivers
shelter for family members
cooking facilities for families
complete coverage and care for both the patient and family members.

RMF-donated medicines and medical supplies

RMF’s Presence

Shortly after the April 2015 earthquake, which killed and injured thousands throughout Nepal and damaged parts of Kanti Children’s Hospital (the only government referral level children’s hospital in Nepal), RMF determined to help address the hospital’s need for equipment, medical supplies, and capacity building to improve health service delivery. RMF began by forming a partnership with Social Action Volunteers (SAV) and donating a 40-foot container of medicines and medical supplies to Kanti Children’s Hospital. The RMF consignment of medicines and medical supplies, made possible by several generous supporters, including Convoy of Hope, LDS Charities, International Relief and Development, and Help International Hong Kong Limited, was received with great joy at Kanti Children’s Hospital in January 2016.

Donate

Provide necessary medical supplies, blood, and nutritional support for patients. Also providing access and transportation to testing and procedures
Give instruction of patients needs, education, amenities during hospital stay, and financial support to family of the patient
Management to various hospital programs such as a blood drive program, a free-of-cost kitchen for patients and families, playroom and library for patients and siblings, and clothes bank for needy patients and family

Kanti Children’s Hospital is the only government referral level Children’s Hospital of Nepal. The hospital was established in 1963 as a general hospital with 50 beds, which today have a capacity of 320 beds. The hospital treats children up to the age of 14 from all over the country, a total target population of 13-14 million children. Following the earthquake, where parts of hospital building were damaged, there is in general a need for equipment and capacity building for better health service delivery.