A project to re-equip the Gaurishankar hospital in Nepal with much needed new functioning medical equipment.

Edited version of article written by PDG Debbie Loveday, which was provided by PDG Rob Anderson, Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator

The passion of Rotarian Dr Ray Hodgson for the people of Nepal, together with a robust community needs assessment and multi District funding support has resulted in a project to re-equip the Gaurishankar hospital in Nepal with much needed new functioning medical equipment. 

Background

For the past 10 years Rotarian Dr Ray Hodgson has been leading surgical and nursing teams in regional areas of Nepal to address the high infant and maternal mortality rate, along with the problem of severe genital prolapse. Following the 2015 earthquake Dr Ray was in Charikot in the Dolakha region during the aftershocks and witnessed firsthand the death and infrastructure destruction in this area. A further visit in 2017 identified no signs of improvement in the repair or reconstruction of facilities.

Gaurishankar hospital had been providing health care for over 30 years; running in collaboration with Dhulikhel Hospital a non-government, not for profit hospital several hours away. Providing a basic health care system in rural Nepal is challenging and a population of more than 185,000 relies on this sole hospital to provide essential care.

Most of the medical equipment is old and outdated, with much being damaged in the earthquake. Patients only alternative option for good health care services would be to travel to Dhulikhel or Kathmandu which are both too far for patients to travel and unaffordable.

District 9650 agreed to establish a Global Grant project to re-equip the hospital with new functioning equipment to meet the needs of the population in this area.

Community Needs Assessment

International sponsor members plus the local hospital staff, allied health professionals and local community leaders conducted a community needs assessment using community meetings, interviews, and surveys to focus on what the local needs were. A list of needed equipment was made totalling USD$266,000.

Project Plan

The project plan was developed with input from community members, their leaders, experts, and members of local government. Included were quotes from local suppliers, a training plan for the use of the equipment and an equipment maintenance plan. Locally supplied equipment was found to be beneficial as suppliers were able to advise and support ongoing maintenance requirements.

Funding

PDG Lorraine Coffey showcased the project at San Diego to enlist DDF support from other Districts. PDG David Hare, D7680, took up the challenge and enlisted the help of colleagues in neighbouring districts. Eight districts from around the world have collaborated to raise the funds needed, enabling a world fund grant of USD $123,582.

Global Grant project

Global Grant 1983109, submitted by the Rotary Clubs of Dhulikhel and Port Macquarie, was approved on 26 March 2020 with total funding of USD 265,745 to be provided in two phases.

Since then, progress has been slow due to COVID and only phase 1 has been completed. The project is now waiting on the transfer of phase 2 funds to complete the provision of this much needed equipment.

Sustainability

The people of this region have needed a better health care system and this replacement equipment will go a long way to supporting this need. Patients can be treated in their own locality making health care more accessible. Dr Ray Hodgson will continue his efforts providing workshops to help train, teach and improve the standards of patient care and surgery in this region.