Providing free medical care in rural Nepal
On a bus filled with good people, good humour and medical supplies, we careened out of Kathmandu and on towards Ale Gaun, a small village perched in the hills out west and the setting for our first health camp.
The sky, thick and swirling overhead, brought a cleansing rain and lavender grey curls of mist swallowed us whole as we dropped low into the valleys. The road twisted and turned past fields of freshly planted rice and we held on tight as streams of vehicles rushed past us. Our journey continued on in what is accepted as the middle lane of the 2 lane road, our driver shooting past slower vehicles just as blind bend loomed. Front seats not recommended for the faint of heart! Sometime after lunch we found ourselves face to face with a small truck with faulty brakes and the crunch of our bumpers woke those who were asleep. There we no serious injuries, but a 2 hour education in Nepali ‘open court’ as men gathered to argue and negotiate who was to pay for the damage. As the afternoon progressed, we pushed off at last and passed Pokhara before beginning the steep climb and curve to Waling, the town below Ale Gaun.
Above the ridges the clouds finally cleared enough to reveal the snow dusted peaks of Fish Tail and the Annapurna range, still and solid against the horizon, before the sky was plunged into darkness.
Arriving much later than planned, we finally reached our destination, unloaded the bus and made the short but steep hike to our host families, a much needed cup of tea, evening meal and finally bed.
Making pill packets for the pharmacy
Setting up the pharmacy
Today, we set-up camp at the local school, allocating classrooms as clinics and the nursery as the pharmacy. Medicines were sorted and organised in readiness for us to register and see our host family members before the rush of the camp proper tomorrow. This not only allowed us to offer a service to those who are hosting and most importantly feeding us, but gave us a trial run to allow us to iron out the wrinkles that such a huge operation creates.
Our first patient brought home the importance of such camps, as the lady seen was suffering from a 4th degree uterine prolapse. Our gynecologist and midwives also saw a case of sever cervical erosion alongside 2 cases of infertility.
In total, over a 2.5 hour period, we registered 67 patients and provided 86 consultations. The eye department identified 2 cataract patients, wrote prescriptions for 2 sets of bifocal glasses and issued several pairs of reading glasses. Dental extracted 4 teeth and performed 2 restorations, while our doctors saw cases ranging from skin conditions to aches and pains in the very young to the elderly. Our physio team provided exercise regimes and education to those referred to them, with the aim of reducing pain and improving mobility.
These health camps are 100% funded by donations and fundraising events. If you wish to support us in providing free medical care in rural Nepal, please click on the Donate button on the home page or contact info@himalayanquests.com.