Primary Health Care and Resource Center

Unfortunately we've had limited internet access over the past few weeks making it difficult to update the blog (as you've probably noticed). We are hopeful that we will have more consistent access over the remainder of our trip, so the plan is to give you all bits and pieces of what we've been up to since the last post and eventually get you all caught up to the present. Hope you all enjoy!

While in Nepal, we are working at the Primary Health Care and Resource Center in Chapagaun (a smaller village south of Kathmandu). The Health Center is completely community run and funded (no governmental funds) and provides a variety of wonderful resources for the community of Chapaguan. On site, they have a one room emergency department, a one room outpatient department, a maternal-child health clinic, a pharmacy, a lab, an x-ray machine, and an inpatient ward (with 6 general medicine beds and 4 postpartum beds). Additionally, the Health Center also has one operating theater but currently is without a surgeon so at this time patients who require surgery are referred to the large government hospital in Patan.  Health education and advocacy is also a big part of the center and they have community health workers that go to patient's homes to provide education about nutrition, hygiene, clean water, vaccinations, etc. There is one full time physician and many medical assistants and nurses who are able to function in any part of the Health Center. Luckily for us, all of the staff speak English (and Nepali). Communication with patients is a little more difficult as most speak only Nepali or a Newari dialect that even the staff have a difficult time understanding. Due to the language barrier, we get to work more using our hands (practicing our physical examination skills and procedures) and as supportive staff. I'm really excited to get more involved in the clinic and to have the opportunity to learn about the Nepali health care system. From what I can tell so far, it seems as though the Primary Health Care and Resource Center is a rare commodity in Nepal and much different from the government run hospitals.

Erin, Pavani, and I posing in front of the sign at the entrance of the Health Center.

Many patients waiting to be seen outside the outpatient department and emergency room.

One of the nursing students weighing a baby at the Maternal-Child Health Clinic.

Pavani and Erin in front of the Pharmacy (Pav's favorite place to work at the health center).

The inpatient facility at the health center.

Pav, Erin, and I will some of the health center staff.