Medical care & rehabilitation changing lives Nepal

Namaste!

Welcome to our November report. Thanks to your amazing support, 31 people over the last quarter have been able to receive medical and surgical intervention, nursing care, physiotherapy and rehabilitation services during these difficult times.

Things have been a little different at NHEDF due to Covid-19. Two national lockdowns have meant that a few patients have been supported in hospital only and have been discharged home directly, bypassing the Shelter. Other patients have had to stay at NHEDF for a little longer than necessary as there was simply no way of getting them home. Public transport was cancelled for long periods of time due to the Nepal-wide lockdown and some patients travel for 2 – 3 days to reach NHEDF. Other patients are still waiting for surgery that was postponed due to Covid -19 (or their surgeon got Covid-19) then for some, things have continued as usual. It has been a challenging time for Team NHEDF and our heartfelt admiration goes to everyone for managing the situations that were imposed on them in safe, kind, compassionate and creative ways.

This quarter, NHEDF has supported two adults and two children with burns injuries; a premature baby; three patients with closed head injuries (one is a long-standing patient at the Shelter whose initial reason for coming to NHEDF was complications following tetanus); and one man who contracted tetanus who we are happy to report made an amazing recovery. Several patients were treated for wound management.

NHEDF receives many patients experiencing orthopaedic injuries and over the last 3 months these have included several people with fractured arms, legs and/or spine; one man with damage to the metal rods that are often used to fix fractured femurs (thigh bones) and one patient requiring surgery for fractures she sustained 2 years ago and were never fixed – she had been bed bound for 2 years and can now walk again! Three patients required amputations of their lower limbs and their road to rehabilitation is always long.

Two patients were admitted with gynaecological problems including treatment of uterine prolapse. A toddler was admitted for cardiac assessment and was diagnosed with two ‘holes in the heart’. He is likely to require surgery. One lady required a lung resection for TB but sadly passed away within 24 hours of her surgery being performed.  Other people included a young girl with an eye injury and three patients with chronic illness whose stays were short. For one, the problem was easily solved! He simply needed a hearing aid. This simple solution has changed his life as he is able to hear for the first time in many years and is ecstatic.

All these cases demonstrate how you have changed and will continue to change the lives of people who have no one else to turn to and nowhere else to go. There are so many stories like these, all made possible by your amazing support without which there would be no NHEDF and no good news stories like the above to report. 

We hope you are staying safe during these difficult times, and on behalf of all past, present and future patients, and everyone at NHEDF, we thank you again from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity.

With best wishes and grateful thanks,

Virginia Dixon,

President, Roads to Rehab Nepal