Reaching out with medical aid in a remote region of Nepal

The healthcare we provide at our Medical Camps is critical for many people living in rural Nepal, with some villagers travelling for days to access our first-class treatment. For many, this is the only medical assistance they receive.

We recently held our most remote medical camp to date at Darchula, in the far west of Nepal and on the border with India. Darchula is amongst Nepal’s least developed districts, with most of its population relying on agriculture for their livelihood.

The three-day camp took place in the grounds of the district hospital, offering two specialist services: ENT care including surgeries, and physical rehabilitation with prosthesis measurements taken for fitment at a later date.

Many patients travelled a long distance to access the camp, some journeys taking a full day by bus or even on foot.

Bishnu Datt Joshi

Bishnu comes from a small village in Duhu rural municipality of Darchula district and many years ago moved to India to earn a living and support his family back home. He was employed as a security guard for a company, but tragically, around fourteen years ago, he was in a road accident and lost his left leg. Since returning to Nepal he struggled to cope with his disability.

Bishnu travelled two hours by bus to reach the medical camp.

“I don’t have a leg and it has hampered my daily living. This prosthesis is old and has worn out. I lost this leg due to an accident while I was working in Kerala (India). I was working as a guard there and got into an accident in the company’s vehicle.”

“I have two sons, a daughter, my mother and my wife in the village. We don’t have a reliable source of income, I run a small grocery shop.”

“We would like to thank the Gurkha Welfare Trust for helping out people from lower-income groups like us. May god help and protect them always. May all their wishes be fulfilled. May they be able to help other people like us. That is my humble wish. Dhanyabad.”

Janga Bahadur Dhaami

For 67-year-old Janga Bahadur, the ability to hear clearly again was nothing short of a miracle. After receiving his new hearing aid, the elderly man couldn’t contain his excitement, literally dancing his way out of the distribution room, drawing smiles from onlookers. His joy was palpable, a stark contrast to the challenges he had faced in recent years as his hearing deteriorated.

Janga had traveled two hours by bus to reach the medical camp that was offering free hearing aids, a service he otherwise would not have been able to afford.  For someone like Janga, living in a rural area with limited access to healthcare, this opportunity to restore part of his hearing was life-changing. Hopefully, he will be able to fully engage in conversations with his loved ones once again.

Rejina Kunwar

Rejina Kunwar, a resident of Chawati village, travelled seven hours by bus to attend the medical camp for ear surgery. The 10th-grade student lives with her mother, two sisters and brother. She had been suffering from ear pain and discharge and her hearing was weak. A specialist ENT surgeon carried out a successful operation. “I was scared, even after it was over,” Rejina admitted, recalling her apprehension.

Rejina had previously sought treatment in Pokhara, where doctors discovered a hole in her eardrum. However, they only prescribed medication and advised against surgery at the time.

Now, with her hearing restored, Rejina nodded when asked if she could hear clearly again.

The treatment was provided entirely free of charge. “If I had to pay, it would have been very costly,” she noted. The camp has made a lasting impact on individuals like Rejina, providing much-needed medical services to those who otherwise couldn’t afford them.

“On behalf of my family and myself, I would like to thank the whole team. Dhanyabad.”

Sundar Singh Kottari

30-year-old Sundar Singh Kottari has faced tremendous challenges in his life. He has had hearing problems since he was a child. To add to that misery, he lost his left hand in a freak accident a few years ago. He is the only breadwinner in the family. In his village, he lives with his parents, wife, and seven-month-old son, relying solely on subsistence farming and tending to goats. His journey to the camp involved a bus trip and several hours walking.

At the camp, Sundar underwent surgery, and measurements were taken for a prosthetic hand. He reported significant improvement in his hearing and can move his neck with much less pain. He will return in about a month for a fitment camp, to have the prosthetic fitted. When asked about his feelings, he expressed happiness and gratitude to the medical team for their support.

“I lost my hand when I was travelling to work. My hand got crushed when the vehicle turned over on a rock. The accident happened about six years ago. I came to learn about this camp from the health post in our village.”

“After coming here, I got my ear operated and they took measurements of my hand. My ear is better now. Before, I had difficulty moving my neck as well. It used to hurt a lot when moving my neck. But, there is very little pain today.”