One Heart Worldwide (OHW) team in Nepal has handed over 125 oxygen cylinders to the Government of Nepal on 20 May 2021, to provide support in Nepal which has been suffering from an acute shortage of oxygen that is needed to save thousands of lives infected by COVID19.

The gas cylinders were brought in by chartered flight yesterday through government assistance and these essential supplies have been made possible with a donation from DAK Foundation via Rotary Australia World Community Services Ltd (RAWCS). 

At a time when Nepal is enduring an increasing number of infections and fatalities due to COVID19, the country has been in desperate need of more oxygen. A further 375 cylinders are being sent by sea plus other oxygen equipment.

The National Referral Hospital (NRH) last week Friday commissioned four new paediatric oxygen concentrators donated by Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) in which the E-Club of Greater Sydney raised the funds for the donation totalling to over 5,500 AUD (more than 33,000 SBD).

The paediatric oxygen concentrators are very useful for the survival of children that are affected by COVID-19 and require respiratory support as the concentrators provide oxygen supplements.

While it is purposely for COVID-19 preparedness and response, the oxygen concentrators can also be used on children with other health conditions such as lung and heart conditions as well as other illnesses that require respiratory assistance.

Marnie Rickards the Deputy Project Manager says that Rotary is pleased to have provided the support. “

We wish to thank our supporters for the weekly food hampers, our village is still in semi lockdown, children are not allowed to leave the village, so life is exceedingly difficult. We are still doing our schoolwork online. We have sent sir Maurie some pages from the diary we are all keeping reminding us of this terrible time. Maybe one day soon we will be able to create a book with stories and pictures that will tell our stories. Thank you for all your help.

 

 

The objective of the project is to supply funding and medical equipment to The United Mission Hospital, Tansen, central west of Kathmandu.

 

The Hospital was established in 1954 and also known as the trauma centre, purchased a C-Arm X-Ray machine (pictured here), especially for use in orthopaedic surgery. Accidents are common due to poor infrastructure. Having equipment at the Hospital allows procedures to be undertaken at the Hospital, instead of transporting patients up to 12 hours and 300 kilometers each way, around mountains to Kathmandu. Time is of the essence for optimum healing with orthopaedic fractures.

 

Photo - Professor David Croaker operating at the Hospital. This photo appeared as a pull-out on a pen for the RI International conference in Sydney, 2014.

In 2012, a Matching Grant was obtained for the Hospital to purchase an ultrasound with a cardiac probe and to install 21 piped oxygen outlets in the paediatric and medical wards. The Hospital has needed to become more self-sufficient in order to keep functioning with frequent power shortages, a water shortage after two failed monsoons, and the possibility of disasters such as earthquakes, and now the COVID-19 pressures with the onset of wave two. An oxygen generator was installed after the 2015 earthquakes.

Professor David Croaker, a paediatric surgeon from Canberra, frequently donates his expertise at the Hospital by operating on children and teaching the local Doctors. His Doctorate was the study of Hirschsprung’s disease. Nepal is a very poor country that has been devastated following the recent earthquakes. The Hospital was not damaged but the earth shook. Wave two of Covid-19 is now putting enormous pressure on the Hospital as the infections spread, far greater than the first wave.

 

It was estimated in 1987 that the Hospital with 169 beds served 7.5 million people. There are now some smaller hospitals now in remote areas that serve local populations. The United Mission is the major Regional hospital serving the District of Palpa and patients brought from remote areas.

 

                

 

The Medical Assistance Fund (MAF) provides charity to the poorest patients. Each year the need is increasing, hence leaving less funds for equipment. Professor David Croaker said: "The Hospital is placed in a beautiful area, crowded with poor people struggling to survive". Rotarian and E-Club member Val Bland sells Rotary Christmas cakes and puddings and organises fundraising dinners to raise funds to support this project. A fundraising banquet will be held on 30 May 2021 in Canberra to raise funds for much needed equipment that we take for granted in Australia.      

 

 

 

Update from our incoming Rotary E-Club President Val Bland

Surinder introducing her staff in the photo

Congolese resettlement on NSW Mid North Coast continues to provide support.

In collaboration with Emmanuel Musoni and GLAPD www.glapd.org.au,  meetings with government and community leaders continue to seek more housing and employment options.

 

 

I  have had the great pleasure of presenting 6 Paul Harris Fellow awards as well as the Judy Croll club award.

In Australia, the PHF is generally reserved for Rotarians or Community members who have made significant contributions to the well-being of people around the world through Education, Medical Aid, Living conditions, Peace Initiatives and Assistance in the face of adversity. Members receiving this award were Alacoque Welsh, Geoffrey Appleton, Dave Rickards, Penny Voss, Kian Safaei, Barbara Parkins and Emmanuel Mussoni.

Our club recognizes a member who has contributed significantly to the efforts of the club in meeting all of its goals both domestically and internationally by the awarding of the Judith Croll award. Judy ( now deceased) was a founding member of the club, an ardent supporter of  our projects, a member of the NSW Parliament and a long-time advocate for people needing help and understanding. The awardee in 20-21 was Alacoque Welsh. My congratulations and thanks to all of you.

It is plain to see that, despite the challenge of Covid we have continued our service work throughout our projects, have added more domestic endeavors, and lived up to the  Rotary ideal of Service Above Self.

Again my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your continued and unstinting support throughout the year. unfortunately, many images caused an "Exceeded character limit" placed on these communications so I had to be ruthless and cut many. My apologies to those project managers who suffered