16/12/2011
As part of our Plan volunteer assignments we had yesterday the chance to participate in a one day Health Camp which is provided by NGO’s to communities in rural areas. We joined the local branch staff from the Center for Community Development Nepal, CCDN which is as well a partner Plan is working with in several development programs across the country. We drove 33 km south of Hetauda to visit the village Manhari Ramantar which was established 5 years ago after the villagers lost their previous village in a huge landslide. These landless people are very poor and require all basic development efforts and help. Their three classroom school was used for this day as a health center. Three doctors from Hetauda hospital provided a dental and general health checkup in parallel to shorten the long waiting line. One special room was setup to check the disables only and one room was used to hand out the medicine with the appropriate usage instructions. It seems all people from the community showed up, from the small child till the oldest in the age of 88. 110 children fewer than eighteen, out of the total 235 patience, have been checked. Almost all kids have dental problems due to the lack of knowledge of dental care. I was told that they started already with a special education program in the school to educate the children as well on sanitation to prevent this health issue in the future. Many volunteers from the community, Plan staff and Monika supported the organizing CCDN staff and the doctors to make this a successful and very helpful day for all the present. All health services are free for the people including the medicine which was handed out. The people often showed their gratitude which was very heartwarming for us.
Please have a look on the photos as well