Urban Health Center, Palpa

Palpa District, located in western Nepal, has a population of over 261,180. As of the 2011 census, female literacy remained very low at 57%, and due to lack of knowledge, home births and poor nutrition remain common. In June 2016, RMF partnered with United Mission Hospital Tansen’s Community Health Department in Palpa by supporting 3 essential programs for mothers and children under 5 years of age: the Mother & Child Health Clinic, Satellite Mother & Child Health Clinic Program, and the Child Nutrition and Rehabilitation Center.

RMF supported the Maternal and Child Health program through July 2018, when the RMF Nepal team decided to reallocate this support towards opening a new health center in Chyuripokhara, a village in Tansen municipality, Palpa District. Chyuripokhara is 3 hours on foot from the nearest government health post. About 3,500 people live in Chyuripokhara, most of whom belong to the indigenous Magar ethnic group. Due to low income, low education, and lack of essential medicines and health services, children in the village often die from diarrhea and other communicable diseases.

The RMF team made monitoring visits to Chyuripokhara to assess the needs of the community, interact with locals, and meet with community leaders. Thus, RMF headquarters approved the new clinic, RMF Urban Health Center. RMF employs a team of dedicated staff members at RMF Urban Health Center, and also held a community meeting to establish a 9-person health center management committee. Tansen municipality supports RMF in running the health post.

High-Quality Health Services in Palpa

Accessible high-quality healthcare services are crucial to improving the health status of Palpa residents. To address this, RMF Urban Health Center will offer the following free services:

• Outpatient Department
• Pharmacy
• Immunization
• Antenatal and Postnatal Care
• Family Planning and Counseling
• Referral
• Health Education

Medicines and Medical Supplies

During the first health center management committee meeting, RMF handed over its first consignment of medical equipment, medicines, and supplies. RMF Urban Health Center will offer medicines to patients at a greatly reduced cost.

Community Involvement

To ensure that RMF Urban Health Center is alert to the needs of Palpa residents and takes steps to address them, RMF and Tansen municipality formed a health center management committee composed of 9 people. In addition, Health Center Manager Mr. Rajan Mudbari is a Palpa local who understands the culture and health-seeking behavior of its residents.

• Long distance to the nearest health facility
• Low female literacy rates
• Low income and education levels
• Widespread poor nutrition and home births
• Diarrhea and other communicable diseases
• Lack of health awareness and education

The RMF Health Center provides essential health care services through its qualified and dedicated health workers to the people of Chyuripokhara and the surrounding villages of Palpa district, particularly women and children. RMF works in collaboration with the local government and sustains the project with community participation. Our goal is to bring critical medical care to local communities by continually providing critical medical care and medications, as well as health education. The long-term impact of providing healthcare to these communities is to ensure happier, healthier children and adults.