Nepal: Kanti Childrens Hospital

Continued Support to Needy Patients: February – August 2016

December 04, 2016

Suman Gurung

Nepal Initiative Reports

Patients waiting for their turn during health camp.

Kanti Children’s Hospital

Treats Children

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.

Lodging provided by RMF-supported SAV for patients' families who cannot afford a place to stay.

Serves Patients

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 caregivers
shelter for family members
cooking facilities for families
complete coverage and care for both the patient and family members

RMF-donated medicines used for SAV health camp in Chhatar Deurali VDC, Dhading district, March 2016.

2015 Earthquake

RMF Donations

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 donating $408,000 worth of medicines and medical supplies to Kanti Children’s Hospital and forming a partnership with Social Action Volunteers (SAV).

Financial Support

Medical Care and Supplies

In 2016, RMF has continued to support Kanti Children’s Hospital by providing financial support to SAV from January 2016 to the end of this reporting period, August 21, 2016.

RMF’s support has helped enable SAV to provide the following supplemental medical supplies and services, which would otherwise be unavailable to many of the neediest patients at Kanti Children’s Hospital:

Free medicines and supplements
Help for patients to access available hospital services like* x-rays and lab tests*
Financial support and other arrangements (such a transportation) for patients who require services outside the hospital, such as MRIs and CT scans
Nutrition support for children admitted to the
Oncology and Malnutrition wards at Kanti
Children’s Hospital
A blood bank available to patients.

A playroom maintained by SAV on the hospital's premises for patients and their siblings.

RMF Support

Patients and Families

RMF’s support has also been used to provide the following support to patients and their families:
* Lodging space at a very affordable rate

Food, a kitchen, propane gas, and cooking utensils for needy patients and their families who are willing to cook their own food.
Bathroom and toilet facilities for patients’ families
A clothing bank for needy patients and their families
A playroom and library at Kanti Children’s Hospital for patients and their siblings
Any other facilities or support that patients and their families may need depending upon circumstances and individual cases

Hospital Volunteers

Health Programs and Fundraisers

In addition to RMF’s financial support being used to provide the abovementioned services and supplies to needy patients at Kanti Children’s Hospital and their families, during this reporting period RMF Nepal has also managed and mobilized the volunteers of SAV and Kanti Children’s Hospital, giving them further opportunity to assist patients and their families through conducting health-oriented programs such as health camps, workshops, and seminars, and organizing fundraisers to maintain and improve current projects.

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.