Nepal: Kavre Community Outreach Program
Three New Staff Added to Outreach: Q1 2018
April 01, 2018
Ganesh Shrestha
Summary of Activities
Since the earthquake of 2015, RMF’s efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of Kavre residents have continued to develop. In 2017, RMF received approval of our 5-year Health Care System Strengthening and Outreach Program from Nepal’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare (MoWCSW). As a result, RMF will be able to fully implement the Kavre Community Outreach Program. Currently, RMF’s priority in the program has shifted to supporting the health clinic at Dapcha Health Post as well as RMF Urban Health Center, which was opened in March of 2018.
During this Quarter:
- RMF Urban Health Center was opened on March 6, 2018.
- 96 children were treated at RMF Urban Health Center from February to March 2018. During this reporting period, acute respiratory illness (ARI) was the leading disease in children under 5 with 54 patients, followed by diarrheal diseases with 23 patients.
- 70 patients received vaccinations at the immunization clinic during this reporting period. 56 of the patients were children who were vaccinated for tuberculosis (BCG), diphtheria and tetanus (DTP), HepB, polio (OPV), pneumococcal disease (PCV), measles and rubella (MR), and Japanese encephalitis (JE), and 24 of the patients were pregnant women who received tetanus (TT) immunizations.
- 26 pregnant women were provided with ANC services, and 4 mothers received institutional delivery services. At the end of March, 290 patients, including 15 new patients, were using family planning methods such as oral contraceptive pills, Depo-Provera, implants, and IUCDs.
- RMF has supported the establishment and operation of a medical laboratory, which began offering services in February 2018. The laboratory performed a total of 213 tests from February to March, including 120 hematology tests, 86 biochemistry tests, and 33 virology tests.
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Center Opened
RMF Urban Health Center
Based on the agreement between RMF and Namo Buddha municipality, RMF Urban Health Center was opened on March 6, 2018. A commencement ceremony and a free health camp were organized on the first day of its service.
The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Sanjiv Dhakal, chairperson of the Health Center Management Committee. The Acting Chief Executive Officer of Namo Buddha municipality inaugurated the health center, and other dignified guests from the municipality and community were present. The chairperson, chief guest, and representatives from the community expressed happiness and thanked RMF for its support.
Free Health Camp
Providing Care
RMF doctors, health workers, and nurses provided services in the free health camp. 136 patients were checked and provided with free medicine. On the same day, an RMF health worker taught a class on oral health and hygiene to 60 students of the nearby school, and proper toothbrushing techniques were demonstrated in a practical session. Toothbrushes and toothpaste were distributed to the students.
Dapcha Outpatient
1,183 Patients
Based on the 5-year-agreement signed between Namo Buddha municipality and RMF Nepal, RMF provided support to Dapcha Health Post, which served 1,183 patients at its outpatient department (OPD) from February to March 2018. 679 of the patients were female, and 504 were male. The OPD averaged about 591 patients per month during this reporting period. Infectious diseases were the leading health problems registered in the OPD with 367 patients.
Ganga Ram Timilsina
New Clinical Officer
Before pursuing a career in healthcare, Ganga Ram Timilsina served the government as a teacher for 22 years. After retiring, he did not want to stay idle, and he decided to pursue a health assistant course. Ganga Ram completed his studies at the Model College of Technical Education in Birgunj, Nepal and then worked as a health assistant in the District Public Health Office Chitwan. He also has ample experience managing an urban health center, which he did for 10 years.
Ganga Ram joined RMF’s team as Clinical Officer in charge of the RMF Urban Health Center in Lakainey, Namo Buddha, Kavre, where he is responsible for assessing the clients that come for health services, providing them with appropriate treatment and counseling, preparing monthly reports, coordinating with the local government for reporting and obtaining other supplies for the clinic, conducting meetings of the clinic management committee, and also reporting to RMF Nepal’s main office. Ganga Ram is excited to be a part of RMF’s team, as his responsibilities match the work he has been doing for years.
Sharmila Lama Thing
New Laboratory Technician
Sharmila Lama Thing is from Dapcha in Kavrepalanchok District. She completed her Certificate in Medical Laboratory Technology at Kantipur College of Medical Science in Kathmandu and has been registered as a medical lab technician with the Nepal Health Professional Council. Sharmila has four years of experience in operating a medical laboratory, performing different tests on samples and producing reports of the tests.
Sharmila has been appointed as RMF Laboratory Technician, stationed at Dapcha Health Post as a part of RMF’s support to the Kavre District. She is responsible for the collection of samples from the patients, performing prescribed tests, and producing reports. She is under the direct supervision of the health post supervisor and also provides reports to RMF Nepal’s main office.
Bijaya Kumar Lungeli Magar
New Medical Assistant
Bijaya Kumar Lungeli Magar is from the Kavrepalanchok District of Nepal and completed his Community Medical Assistant (CMA) course at the Kavre Health Training Institute. He worked for one year at the Bhimkothi Health Post in Kavre District, a government institute, and his responsibilities included assessing patients, performing minor procedures like dressing and suturing, immunization, keeping records of patients and inventories of the center, etc.
With the same roles and responsibilities, Bijaya has been appointed as Medical Assistant in RMF’s Fulbari Clinic in Kavre. Being from the area, Bijaya knows the preferences of the local people, as well as their culture, beliefs, and values. He respects the values of RMF and is dedicated to providing service to the people of Kavre.
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
Numbers
Served
Direct Beneficiaries
QUARTERLY TOTALS
Dapcha Health Post-1,183
RMF Urban Health Center-96
Immunized-70
Family Planning-290
Antenatal Care-26
Success
Stories
Khadga Bahadur Shrestha
71 Years Old
Khadga Bahadur Shrestha is 71 years of age. He came to Dapcha Health Post for a regular visit to monitor his blood pressure, as he was diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes years ago. When he came to the health post, he said that he had to monitor his blood sugar level, but due to joint pain it was difficult for him to travel to Dhulikhel, the nearest place to obtain advanced healthcare services, which is 18km away with no regular transportation available. When he came to know that Dapcha Health Post had resumed its laboratory services with support from Real Medicine Foundation, his burden was relieved.
Khadga Shrestha underwent the necessary tests for blood sugar, lipid profile, blood counts, uric acid, and RA-factor. His blood sugar levels were slightly elevated, and he was advised to stick to the dietary plan previously suggested to him in the hospital and also monitor his blood sugar levels more frequently. His other investigations were within the normal range. Medical staff requested that the patient return for follow-ups on a regular basis. Since laboratory services have resumed in Dapcha, people have greatly benefited from the accessible and affordable services.
Subigya Adhikari
10 Weeks Old
Subigya Adhikari is a healthy child of 10 weeks of age who was brought to Dapcha Health Post for a regular postnatal visit by her mother and grandmother. She is her mother’s first child and was also born at the same health center. Because Dapcha Health Center provides high quality healthcare services, people often revisit the center to follow up on existing or new conditions. Subigya’s grandmother said that they had visited many such health centers in the district, but the quality standards for care at Dapcha Health Center were the highest. Patients get the free medicines throughout the year, and services such as immunization are always available on schedule, and children suffer fewer side effects as a result. The staff at the health center also do their best to explain everything to their patients.
Prior to this postnatal appointment, Subigya’s grandmother had brought her daughter-in-law to Dapcha Health Center for antenatal checkups and for the delivery of the child. Both the mother and child are healthy, which is fortunate in such a remote area.
Subigya was provided with second dose of the Pentavalent (DPT, Hep-B, HiB) vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, and oral polio vaccine. She weighed 4.3kg, nearly 2kg more than her birth weight of 2.6kg. The mother and grandmother were counseled about exclusive breast-feeding, danger signs of severe illness, and the next appointment date for further immunization. The health team also briefed them about postpartum health maintenance and the necessity of contraception after the mother’s menstrual cycle resumes. They left happily after receiving the desired services within a short period of time.
Ram Hari Kafle
46 Years Old
Ram Hari Kafle is a 46-year-old farmer residing in Namobudhha who was injured while going to Banepa from his residence when the bus in which he was traveling had an accident at Kavre Bhanjyang. Luckily, all the passengers survived and were rushed to Dhulikhel Hospital for immediate management. Delirious from pain in his right arm, he remembers very little about the incident. He had multiple fractures in his right arm and had to undergo surgery to treat the injury. He currently has a frame of steel bars in his arm which needs regular dressing to prevent complications due to infection. Thus, he regularly visits Dapcha Health Post to dress his wounds. He is satisfied to save much time and money on travel expenses while still receiving quality health services from the center. Ram Kafle will continue to visit Dapcha Health Center to treat his wounds except for a scheduled follow-up visit at Dhulikhel Hospital.
Nim Lama
71 Years Old
Nim Lama, a 71-year-old man, visited Dapcha Health Post for a severe headache and dizziness. He had been suffering from this condition from a long time, but with each passing day the problem was growing more severe. Thus, he decided to visit the health post.
Immediately after assessing his vital signs, the clinical officer quickly diagnosed him with hypertension. He also told him that coming to the health center for a checkup was the best decision. As he needed further testing for a precise diagnosis and treatment of his condition, he was then referred to a higher center.
Sushmita Tamang
Infuenza
Sushmita Tamang came to Dapcha Health Post with complaints of a headache, runny nose, irritation of the palate, and a dry cough. She was suffering from the flu, and thus she was prescribed chlorpheniramine and paracetamol. She was also told that these drugs will only alleviate the symptoms, and it would still take her a few days to recover.
More Reports on: Kavre Community Outreach Program Archive
Country Page: Nepal
Initiative Page: Kavre Community Outreach Program