Clinic & Dispensary Project

 

Owing to the poverty in Nepal and the relative isolation of much of the population who live many days walk from the nearest town or roadhead, the provision of adequate health care is absolutely minimal. There are very few trained doctors, and hospitals are scarce and often inadequately equipped and overcrowded. Half the children in Nepal suffer from malnutrition, and conditions such as water and food born infections, deficiency diseases, and skin infections are very common.

By setting up district clinics, preventative healthcare programmes can be put in place, potentially life threatening conditions can be caught early and proper treatment given. The Siddhartha Foundation UK is sponsoring the construction of a district clinic adjacent to our school, where both pupils and local villagers can receive treatment free of charge. Qualified doctors from Kathmandu will be in attendance twice a week with a receptionist and nurse on duty most days to treat minor conditions, give advice and refer urgent cases to the hospital in Kathmandu city. Apart from the consultation room there will be a reception area, a pharmacy, a treatment room, and a small ward for overnight stays.

Within the Pandit Valley there is no state provision of health care, and even if there was, many villagers could not afford it, as there is no free National Health service in Nepal. Our Free clinic is really urgently needed in this area and will safeguard the health of all the school pupils and will help to save lives, especially the babies and young children in the area. In Nepal as a whole 10 children PER HOUR die as a result of malnutrition or lack of treatment and we can do something positive to make history of this unacceptable statistic.

The cost of building the clinic is just £15,000 pounds /$30,000 U.S./ 22,500 Euros. In the west we could build very little for this price but in Nepal that amount of money goes a long way, making our donations particularly effective. We would dearly like to start construction in 2008 and with your help this life saving clinic will become a reality. If you would like your donation to The Siddhartha Foundation UK to be earmarked for this project please let us know and we can ensure that your intention is honoured. Each pound, dollar or euro we receive will make a difference, even the greatest building in the world started off as one brick!'