Goals / Starting point for the construction of a new medical centre in Bhorle, Rasuwa

The location of the new medical centre is difficult to access in a remote valley in the southern foothills of the Himalayas between Kathmandu (ca. 60 miles to the South) and the Chinese border (ca. 25 miles to the North). The distance from Betang where we’ve built the first medical centre in 2018, to Bhorle is about 5 hours on foot. Due to the steep slopes, the area around Bhorle is accessible only in the dry season via a very minor road. Generally, people have to make all journeys on foot. This situation is particularly critical for ill people and pregnant women who have to walk more than 15 miles to reach the village of Dhunche where the nearest health centre is situated. The people therefore don’t have access to adequate primary healthcare.

The primary goal of the project is improvement of the health status of the population, especially of the women and girls around Bhorle. Approximately 6,000 people live in the catchment area.

The goal is to permanently improve the primary healthcare in Bhorle by erection of a small medical centre and to serve as a consulting centre for the people of the region. Currently, there only are sporadic visits of a nurse. In future, a full-time nurse, paid by the government, will render her services. A doctor can be called in for difficult cases.

Status of the preparations

• The legal prerequisites for building a village clinic in Bhorle have been determined.

• All plans and documents have been examined and accepted by the relevant bodies.

• During a visit in April, an exchange of views with the clinic committee has taken place regarding scope of the services of the clinic, general conditions for building and wishes of the population concerning health care.

• The site was donated by a family of Bhorle and already has been transferred.

We are glad that preparations are complete and the “hot phase” can begin in November. The experiences which in particular Ram and Madhav have made when building the medical centre in Betang are bearing fruit.

The Site

The site has been developed, is level, electricity and water are available. It is situated centrally, directly by the village road.

The Building

The building shall contain a waiting area, a consulting room, a room for deliveries and a room for the nurse who will work and live on-site. As sanitary provisions two showers in the building are envisaged and two toilets outside. In addition, the medical centre shall obtain an initial outfit of the necessary medical equipment (including also chairs, tables, lockers etc.).

Mode of Construction

Walls will be erected from bricks and crushed stone, covered by a gently sloping, plane concrete roof. It has more stability against external influences than corrugated iron, besides it leaves the option to add another storey.

Bricks are economically produced nearby in Trichuli Bazar and outside of the rainy season they can be delivered over a short distance by truck. Though in limited quantity, crushed stones can be found in the environs of Bhorle.

Production of bricks is very common in Nepal. Over the last years, the environmental impact of their production has been reduced due to new legislation.

Building Period - Building Oversight

Building Period: November 2019 to April 2020

During the building period Madhav Regmi, our Nepalese engineer, and Ram Kumar Tamang will be living in Bhorle. Mr. Regmi already took care of the erection of the medical station in Betang with great success. He is a team player and the collaboration with Ram is excellent. He, just like Ram Kumar Tamang is fully familiar with the conditions and the people in Bhorle. This time again, the two were accompanied by Rolf Buschmann during preplanning. He, too, will assist the team in Nepal during the building period with consulting.

Sustainability

Several factors underline the sustainability of the project:

• the local population has expressed its support of the project in public and in writing

• the site for the project is legally owned by the community

• the ongoing operation of the medical centre and the associated cost (among others salary of the nurse, supply of medicaments, maintenance expenses) are secured by the national ministry of health, monitoring of the ongoing operation will take place by a local health committee

• NHEFoN, the organisation responsible in Nepal for the project, has extensive experience with building and already has successfully erected a comparable health centre (Bhorle) with the same architect

• project owner NHEFoN and architect Madhav Regmi will be on-site throughout the entire construction phase (approx. 6 months)

• the plot meets well prerequisites for a location (sufficient size, level, water and electricity available)

• the building is planned to be earthquake proof

DESWOS - A new partner

We would like to take the occasion to present to you our new partner which has taken on a significant role in financing and realising the new medical centre in Bhorle.

What the name DESWOS stands for

The German development aid for social housing and settlements DESWOS (“Deutsche Entwicklungshilfe für soziales Wohnungs- und Siedlungswesen e.V.” which means German Development Aid for Social Housing and Settlements) is a private non-profit charity. It was founded Nov. 17th 1969. DESWOS is supported by the housing societies which are organized in the German federal association of housing and real estate companies (“GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungs- und Immobilienunternehmen”) together with their organizations in conjunction with companies of other sectors of the economy and private individuals through memberships, donations and complimentary engagement.

DESWOS’ guiding theme was and is

fighting lack of housing and poverty in developing countries.

You can find more information on https://deswos.de/

NEPAL Bildung & Gesundheit

We are delighted that also our partner from Switzerland, Nepal Education and Health (NEPAL Bildung & Gesundheit) is supporting the construction of the health centre in Bhorle.

Call for Donations

As so often in the past, your donations, too, are important to make it possible that the medical centre in Bhorle will be built and the life of the entire population will be improved.

See also: Support us

We, the teams of

Gecotec e.V Deutschland,
NEPAL Bildung & Gesundheit Schweiz and
NHEFoN Nepal

are giving our most cordial thanks.