Deurali Hospital

In 2007 Deurali hospital, in the Rasuwa District of Nepal, was in a state of complete neglect. The 10 year Maoist insurgency had seen the hospital abandoned by most medical staff, windows were all smashed, most equipment stolen or damaged and the outside of the building covered in Maoist graffiti.

A young doctor from Kathmandu, Binod Katiwada, was posted to the hospital near the end of 2007. In 8 years, Binod was the first medical practitioner to actually stay on for his 2 year posting. Previous Doctors simply didn’t turn up or left soon after arriving. We met Binod at the 2008 medical camp where he explained the situation at his hospital to members of CETOP who were working at the camp. A visit by World Horizons Matthew Swait followed in Oct 2008 to assess the situation and see what could be done to help.

After meeting with the hospital committee it was decided to assist this community rejuvenate their hospital. The first step was to wipe away the memories of pain and suffering of the Maoist insurgency by painting and renovating the building and secondly to refit the hospital with new equipment.

In April 2009 a group of Cranbrook teachers, students and parents travelled to Deurali to get the renovations underway. It was finished soon after by a local contractor and then the job of fitting out the hospital began. Over the next few months Binod sourced all the equipment in Kathmandu and then trucked it up and put in place with help from a very appreciative local community. Among the many improvements made was a completely updated delivery room, more beds were bought along with a whole lot of new equipment for the emergency observation unit. Outpatient services were vastly improved as well as much need cleaning and sterilizing equipment supplied.

Binod left a much improved hospital at the end of 2009 and was replaced by another very dedicated young doctor from Kathmandu. Mahesh Pathak has since provided great assistance in operating the CETOP 2010 Medical Camp and continues to work with CETOP in developing other areas of the hospital and local government school.

Renate Carius, CETOP President, travelled to Deurali and contributed the following update…

Dr. Mahesh and nurse Baidevi continue to provide medical care to the greater Deurali community. Though their patient load increases yearly the hospital still is short of essential equipment, medicine and pathology facilities. Positive changes to the hospital include the new retaining wall to the north of the accommodation building associated with the large scale OS roadworks project from Trisuli to Deurali village. Unfortunately, extensive building rubble was piled against the wall of the hospital building. That has now been addressed by CETOP and funds donated to remove it. The hospital has an important new incinerator located behind the doctor’s office. Generally the hospital is in sound condition though there are a number of building upgrades required. Shortly Dr. Mahesh will be providing privacy curtains to a few of the treatment rooms.

Burns PatientsI was able to visit with both of the burns patients whose treatment is being sponsored by CETOP. Both patients had successfully traveled to a Kathmandu hospital and received reconstructive hand and neck surgery and physiotherapy treatment. With CETOP assistance the surgeons were able to release the contracture in the hands of both patients allowing them enough mobility to begin to contribute to daily family life again. The male patient also received skin grafts and surgery to his neck in order to release the skin contractures allowing rotation of the neck in both directions. Both are scheduled to receive their next treatment in a few months time. A third young female patient will begin treatment shortly once all the appropriate documentation is complete.

Deurali Government School
The school has constructed a new toilet block with 2 toilets, 1 latrine and septic tank. Both the new and old toilet blocks had water collection tanks and dharas installed making hand-washing available after toileting. It was fantastic to see the kids enthusiastically washing their hands, feet and faces. We are now planning for a further increase in the water collection capacity, essential during the dry season months, providing 1 designated line to the school and a second line to the lower village community.

I was pleased to see other positive changes undertaken by the school. There is a new entry gate and stairs and the unsafe school office, store room and Red Cross office have now been demolished. The removal of the building has made the children’s playground far more open, usable and visible, while the old timbers have been stockpiled for reuse in the future building.

Renate Carius

 

Copyright © 2013 | WorldHorizons.net