Medical Volunteer Program in Nepal: A Unique Experience in Community Healthcare

Our program is tailored for medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, radiologists, and other healthcare experts. Specifically designed to provide comprehensive experiences, this initiative caters to medical students seeking placements in community and rural hospitals in developing countries. For those in the medical field, we offer a specialized medical elective program that delves even deeper into the healthcare landscape.

Placements and Challenges:

Medical volunteers are typically stationed in community hospitals located in rural and semi-urban areas of Nepal, whether run by the government or the private sector. These hospitals face financial constraints, resulting in limited staff, equipment, and facilities. Unfortunately, well-qualified medical personnel often opt for urban placements due to resource limitations and limited accessibility in rural areas.

Volunteer Activities:

Depending on their specialization, volunteers actively engage in supporting local health personnel’s day-to-day tasks, such as patient examinations, prescribing medications, wound dressing, administering injections, and more. Volunteers may also provide guidance on maintaining hygiene during patient examinations and ensure cleanliness in hospitals. In certain cases, medical camps are organized to extend services to communities, especially when volunteers have limited time to serve at the hospital.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assisting local medical staff in day-to-day tasks.
• Participating in public health programs, teaching health and sanitation to school children and orphanage kids.
• Assisting locals in managing medical records and drug stores.

Project Locations:

1. Kathmandu & Patan
2. Sindhupalchok
3. Lamjung
4. Parbat
5. Chitwan

Volunteer Support:

Our representative meets volunteers at the airport and places them in a hostel in Kathmandu. An orientation program follows, introducing volunteers to the Hands for Help office, the organization’s code of conduct, and details about their specific project and placement.

Cultural Orientation:

The orientation provides insights into Nepali culture, common diseases in Nepal, personal safety, health, communication systems, and travel information. Volunteers also engage in sightseeing and tours to enhance their understanding of the local environment.

Date and Duration:

• Program starts on the 1st and 16th of each month.
• Volunteers can participate from 2 weeks to 5 months in a calendar year.

Accommodation:

During orientation, volunteers reside in a Kathmandu hostel. Depending on the placement location, accommodation may be with a host family or in the hostel. Rural accommodations may be basic, with limited access to electricity.

Food:

Nepalese cuisine consists mainly of daal (lentil soup) and bhaat (rice) twice a day. Expect traditional meals during your placement, supplemented with local snacks. Host families typically eat at 8:30 am and 7:30 pm.

Excursion:

Volunteers explore iconic sites during the induction phase, including the Monkey Temple and Kathmandu Durbar Square on Day 1, followed by visits to the Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa on Day 2.

Embark on a medical volunteering journey in Nepal, contributing to communities with limited medical resources and making a positive impact on those in need.