health care center

Health Care Centre for Children with Disabilities in the Himalayas

HEAD Nepal together with Wilde Ganzen Foundation and Stichting Nepal Geeft the Netherlands started the project, ‘Health Care Centre for Children with Disabilities in the Himalayas’ in order to provide health care and rehabilitative services to the children with disabilities residing at the Head Vision Home and Head Enable Home since March 2020.

Objective of the Project:

The overall objective of the project is to improve/upgrade the current health/medical services/facilities for the children with visual and physical impairment at HEAD Vision and Enable Homes by supporting their rehabilitation. However the following are the specific immediate outcome of the project:

(1) To establish basic occupational and physiotherapy services for the children with disabilities.

(2)     To ensure basic/primary health check up, medical facilities and first aids for the children in case of emergency and unforeseen injury, accident and sickness.

(3)     To support inclusion and integration of children with disabilities into mainstream education and society at large.

Major Planned Activities

  1. Establishing a well equipped treatment room including a room for physio-therapy
  2. Hiring a well educated and skilled local health-care-worker who is able and motivated to work with children
  3. Organizing two months Training to health worker at SERC school on functional intensive care including sensory integration and basic concept of occupational therapy
  4. Conducting three months training to health worker on Primary Rehabilitation and basic physio therapy skills at HRDC Banepa.
  5. Obtainment of materials for physio-therapy and occupational therapy, like gross motor development, fine motor development and hand functions
  6. Procuring required equipment, furniture, and medications/drugs 
  7. Regular health examination of children including first aid treatment by health worker when required
  8. Routine based physio therapy and physical exercises based on needs of the children
  9. Coordination with local stakeholders for running the center and its continuity after the project ends

Progress Status of the Project:

Upon the approval of the project on the 13th of December 2019, HEAD Nepal, with financial support from the Nepal Gives Foundation and the Wild Geese Foundation in the Netherlands, started the Health Care Center for Children with Disabilities in the Himalayas from March 2020 targeting the children with disabilities residing and studying at Head Vision Home and Head Enable Home Simkot, Humla. During the period of one year, in the midst of COVID-19 through out the year 2020 up to early 2021, we have conducted the following activities:

  1. Coordination and project induction meeting with the government representatives, relevant stakeholders in early April 2020.
  2. Hiring of the health worker, Mr. Bhakta Raj Aidi affecting from the date of 1st July 2020 while he also supported with the health care project even from March 2020 as he was a teacher for the Mobile School. 
  3. Establishing a separate room, (Health Care Center) within the premises of HVH/HEH with basic health equipments and medications/drugs.
  4. Procurement of furniture, primary medications/drugs and basic health equipment.
  5. Regular general health and hygiene assessment of children in an individual basis every two months. 
  6. Primary treatment of the children including first aid treatement by health worker when required 
  7. Providing training of proper brushing and individual hygiene practice for the children
  8. Routine based basic physio therapy and physical exercises based on needs of the children as per the recommendation and instruction of Bram and Lose a Dutch family doctor and an occupational-therapist.
  9. Supervision and monitoring: As the Health Care Centre for children with disabilities is being run  within the premises of HVH/HEH, regular supervision and monitoring of the centre is being done by the management of HEAD Nepal including the Executive Director and the board members as well.

Benefits Received by the Children

The children with visual impairment and physically disabled residing at the centre of HVH/HEH are directly being benefitted with the Health Care Centre. The true benefits which they have been getting are:

  1. Regular health and hygiene assessment with specific tools
  2. Identification of health issues/problems of the children
  3. Specific recommendation and prescription of medication based on individual assessment and need
  4. Minor sickness, health issues, of the children are being treated/cured by the Health Worker and referral is done to district hospital if necessary.
  5.  Children are receiving free medication/drugs as authorized for a Health Worker in primary health care center.
  6. Children are regularly receiving suggestion/advice/coaching to improve their health/hygiene condition.
  7. As per the individual need, basic physiotherapy and exercises are regularly done with the guidance of the Health Worker.

Major Achievement of the Project:

The following are the major achievement (results) of the Health Care Center for the children with disabilities project till mid 2021:

  1. A separate section, a Health Care Center with basic equipment, medications and primary health facilities is established within the premises of HEAD Nepal Simkot, Humla.
  2. A full-timer Health Worker is appointed to take the responsibilities of the health care center for the children with disabilities.
  3. The individual health/hygiene assessment of each child is done, situation (gaps and problems) are identified and final report is prepared.
  4. The health/hygiene condition of the children residing at the center is improved to a greater extend.
  5. Minor sickness, injury, health issues of the children are treated at the center and necessary medications are prescribed. 
  6. Some of the children with physical disability are improved with their motor skill through regular exercise and basic physiotherapy practice.

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