Nepal: Kavre Community Outreach Program
Needed Medical Supplies and Equipment Delivered After Delay: January – March 2016
August 05, 2016
Suman Gurung
Summary of Activities
Kavre, one of the most underdeveloped districts of Nepal, is 45 km away from the capital city, Kathmandu. It is difficult to believe that a place as remote as Kavre exists, just ninety minutes drive from a city as thriving as Kathmandu. RMF’s project location includes 8 villages on the other side of the Bhote Koshi River and is about a 5-hour drive from Kavre district headquarters in Dhulikhel. Every VDC (village development committee) has a village health post with health practitioners who are appointed on merit by the government through its own selection process.
RMF’s Presence
A preliminary assessment of Kavre district and its need for health services was performed by RMF’s Nepal team immediately after the April 25, 2015 mega earthquake. We found that the health centers were in immediate need of health equipment and supplies, which would enable them to provide quality health services to area residents. RMF’s headquarters in the USA immediately responded to these needs by dispatching two 40-foot containers filled with necessary health equipment and supplies, made possible by several generous supporters, including:
- Project C.U.R.E.
- LDS Charities
- Convoy of Hope
- International Relief and Development
- Help International Hong Kong Limited
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Containers Delayed
Unofficial Blockade
The containers could not reach Nepal at that time due to an unofficial economic blockade created by the Indian government. Nepal is a landlocked country, and the only way for the containers to enter Nepal was through an Indian customs port. With the Indian government blocking any containers from entering Nepal, the supplies had to stay in the Port of Kolkata for almost 6 months.
Supplies Arrive in Nepal
Consignment Delivered
In January 2016, RMF’s Nepal team was finally able to receive the containers. The equipment and medical supplies were stored in Dhulikhel (the headquarters of Kavre district). After having obtained necessary approvals from appropriate authorities to distribute the consignment to the village health posts of Kavre, our team conducted a small ceremony and handed over the consignment to the District Health Office.
Distribution Ceremony
Health Posts Supplied
Under RMF’s supervision, another small distribution ceremony was held in Birta Deurali Health Post, where the medical supplies and equipment were directly handed over to health post supervisors in February 2016.
All in all, the consignment was distributed among 17 village health posts and Dhulikhel Hospital. The initial decision was to distribute among 8 VDCs in Kavre, but because of the overwhelming quantity of supplies, the consignment was adequately distributed among 17 VDCs and Dhulikhel Hospital.
Background
& Objectives
Background
Objectives
- Significantly reduce malnutrition among children under the age of 5
- Cause behavior change related to health, nutrition and hygiene through health education
- Improve the health services and programs
- Help acutely malnourished children graduate from malnourished status to a healthy status
- Improve maternal health, sexual health, family planning
- Reduce neonatal and infant mortalities
More
Photos
Click to enlarge
More Reports on: Kavre Community Outreach Program Archive
Country Page: Nepal
Initiative Page: Kavre Community Outreach Program
