Health & Educational Development Scheme
Medical Electives Report, May 2001
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Health & Educational Development Scheme Medical Electives Report, May 2001 |
| By Nina Burroughs and David Head,
Students at the Royal Free University College Medical School, London, visiting
Gorkha Hospital, Nepal. Following a pleasant and uneventful twelve hour flight, we arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal. Nepal is extremely diverse with respect to both landscape and culture. This beautiful country ranges from the snow topped Himalaya which boast many of the worlds highest peaks, including Mount Everest at 8848 metres and rising, to, in the south, The Terai, a lowland flat terrain containing Royal Chitwan National Park, home to the Asian elephant, rhinoceros, crocodiles and the elegant Bengal Tiger. Settlements go from untouched, rural mountain villages, where people live without running water or electricity in their homes, to the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu, where cycle rickshaws and temples lie side-by-side with five-star hotels and internet cafes. This diversity is no less apparent in the people, who despite vast differences in cultural origin and religion, live in relative harmony. This variety all leads to an exciting base for a medical elective.  David & Nina outside Gorkha Hospital The spectrum of healthcare in Nepal matches that of the terrain. Kathmandu is home to several fully equipped teaching hospitals akin to those in the western world. It is here that the doctors of Nepal obtain MBBS. The structure and standard of training is similar to the UK. For administration the country is subdivided into districts, analogous to English counties. Each of these sustains a small district hospital with basic healthcare facilities, offering both outpatient and inpatient services. Several outreach clinics also exist, funded by government and non-government organisations (NGO), these aim to reach those people who live in the more isolated communities. For the full report see here: Electives Report 2001 (In Adobe™ Acrobat™ format)  Male Ward in Gorkha Hospital  World Aids Day  David, National Immunisation Day  Nina, National Immunisation Day |
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