Projectvisit HCH Hospital Mainapokhari: changes for the good

DSC01210Kathmandu, Mainapokhari, March 2015 –
A few weeks ago, a delegation of boardmembers of HCH Nepal & Netherlands paid a visit to the hospital in Mainapokhari. This urgently needed hospital was built with grants from ‘Wild Geese’ and others and opened in 2013. The main question now, almost two years later, is: can the hospital run independent, stand financially on its own?
The good news is yes, the medical staff and the management reassure us of the selfsustainability of their clinic. Although yet there is no positive financial balance, the number of paying members of the Himali Health Cooperative Society has grown significantly. These members contribute importantly to the daily operation of the clinic. On the short term it is likely that the number will rise explosively, now allied cooperatives showing interest in the hospital.
DSC01214Less good news has to be written about the hygiene, or better the lack of it in the hospital. It is a real concern; the lack of resources to keep the rooms clean; and the need to train on skills and the discipline to scrupulously follow a cleaning and hygiene schedule. The environment does not help, the hospital is surrounded by beautiful nature, but consequently there are much nuisance insects. There is also no pavement around the hospital which allows dirt to enter easily.
The interviews with the medical staff made clear that they are working with a lot of motivation and a profound faith committed to the growth and success of the clinic in the future. The young doctor Nischal requests to realize urgently a surgery facility allowing simple surgical procedures in the hospital that subsequently no longer have to be carried out in distant Kathmandu. Then, according to him, the hospital is 100% sufficient for all common medical interventions.
DSC01202Meanwhile, crowd funding runs steadily in the Netherlands for the expansion of the clinic with a full first floor and a private ambulance. It is expected that constructions can start still in 2015. HCH Netherlands and Nepal will closely monitor the implementation of these expansion. Also the cooperation with foundation Dhampus probably leads to a dental facility within the clinic. They already invested in medical dental camps and are providing education to one of the attending nurses.
The next project visit is scheduled for May 2015. One last thing: flight tickets, transportation costs and all stay over costs are totally paid by members of HCH themselves. All received donations, now and in the future are 100% spent on the benefits for the hospital. That’s always our promise to donors!