N U M B E R Himalayan Trust Nepal 09 APR - JUN QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER 2 0 20 You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things—to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently F O U N DE R motivated to reach challenging Sir Edmund Hillary goals. - Sir Edmund Hillary Sir Ed with Sherpas bearing chang and a HONORARY MEMBERS petition for a school. Norbu Tenzing Norgay Phurba Sona Sherpa HIMALAYAN TRUST RESPONDS COVID-19 CRISIS Reinhold Messner The spreading risk of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has forced Nepal Prof. Wolfgang Nairz to impose lockdown since 24th March 2020. The lockdown has been Fabienne Clauss partially eased for three weeks since 14th June. In order to prevent Ingrid Versen potential infection risks to the frontline health staff of Phaplu and Khunde Manfred Haupl hospitals and a dozen peripheral clinics in the Solukhumbu district (Everest region), Himalayan Trust Nepal, with the financial support of the BOARD MEMBERS American Himalayan Foundation, Himalayan Trust New Zealand, Sir Pasang Dawa Sherpa Edmund Hillary Stiftung Germany, has provided COVID-19 preventive Chairman equipment to the frontline health workers. The COVID-19 preventive Tashi Jangbu Sherpa material support included PPE sets, KN95 masks, gloves, thermometers, Vice-chairman hand sanitizers, disinfection room sprays, etc. Pasang Sherpa Lama Treasurer COVID-19 PREVENTIVE MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION Dr. Mingma Norbu Sherpa Secretary PIKEY RURAL GEORGE HUNTER CLINIC Lhakpa Tenji Lama As per the instruction of the government, a two-room clinic building of Joint Secretary Himalayan Trust built at Goli village in Likhupikey Rural Municipality in Ang Temba Sherpa the lower Solu region has been set aside as a 5 bed's quarantine room. Member Pasang Dawa Sherpa Once the threat of the virus is relieved, Pikey Rural George Hunter Clinic Member will move to the new building to provide clinical service to the local Dawa Phuti Sherpa people. The clinic building was built with the financial support from the Member Slovak Embassy New Delhi and Likhu Pikey Rural Municipality. The Yangji Doma Sherpa medicines and services of the clinic are being supported by the Forgotten Member Sherpas of Nepal Trust, New Zealand. Himalayan Trust Nepal built clinic building being used as a quarantine room. PHAPLU HOSPITAL AND JUNBESI HEALTH POST On 1st May 2020, COVID-19 preventive materials were handed over to Phaplu Hospital and Junbesi health post in Solu. Mr. Nava Bahadur Bhujel of HTN handed over the materials to the chairperson of Phaplu Hospital Board, Mr. Bir Kumar Rai, and hospital in-charge, Mrs. Sani Sherpa. The materials for the Junbesi health post were handed over to the frontline health staff of the health post. The support materials included hand sanitizer, N95 masks, surgical masks, gloves, digital thermometer, infrared thermometer, disinfection room spray, nebulizer, and phenyl. The funding for the procurement of the essential materials was possible through the support of Himalayan Trust New Zealand. First lot of COVID-19 materials handed over to Phaplu Hospital. COVID-19 materials handed over to Junbesi health post. A second lot of the COVID-19 prevention materials (PPE sets, KN95 masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, disinfection room sprays, etc.) were handed over to Phaplu hospital on 6th June 2020. The hospital staff handled one of the COVID-19 infected patients very well with the PPE sets that Himalayan Trust had donated in the first lot. Taking the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in Nepal and the high risks to the frontline health workers of Phaplu Hospital and local people into consideration, Himalayan Trust supported the second lot of preventive materials to the Phaplu Hospital. Himalayan Trust representative, Mr. Nava Bahadur Bhujel handed over the materials to the chairman of Hospital Management Board, Mr. Bir Kumar Rai, and hospital in-charge, Ms. Sani Sherpa, and other staff personnel. Sir Edmund Hillary Stiftung Germany and Himalayan Trust New Zealand supported the procurement of the materials. Second lot of COVID-19 preventive materials handed over to Phaplu Hospital. KUNDE HOSPITAL In early May 2020, the COVID-19 preventive materials for Kunde Hospital and outreach clinics reached Kunde Hospital. These materials included PPE sets, hand sanitizer, N95 masks, surgical masks, sterilized and non-sterilized gloves, thermal guns, disinfection room sprays, etc. With the financial support from the American Himalayan Foundation, HTN was able to deliver the most needed materials during these difficult times to Kunde hospital. The materials have been used in Kunde hospital, Thame, Phortse, Monjo and Namche Dental clinics. COVID-19 materials and medicines for Kunde Hospital and outreach clinics reaches Kunde. KANGEL HEALTH POST COVID-19 preventive materials were handed over to Kangel Health Post as well. The handing ceremony was attended by the legislative member of Solukhumbu Mr. Uttam Kumar Basnet, and District Coordination Committee Chairperson, Mr. Bir Kumar Rai, including clinic staff and local community. The funding for this support came from Himalayan Trust New Zealand. COVID-19 materials handed over to Kangel health post. SOTANG PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTER Similarly, on 4th May 2020, Mr. Nava Bahadur Bhujel of HTN handed over the COVID-19 preventive materials to the frontline health staff of Sotang Primary Health Care Center. The materials were handed over to Mr. Shree Dwoj Rai, Manager of the center, in the presence of chairperson of District Coordination Committee, Mr. Bir Kumar Rai, and chairperson of Sotang Rural Municipality, Mr. Bir Bahadur Rai. The procurement of the essential materials was supported by the Himalayan Trust New Zealand. Moreover, six metal beds for the patients and medicine worth Rs. 250,000/- have been supported by Sir Edmund Hillary Stiftung Germany in 2020. COVID-19 preventive materials for the frontline health staff of Sotang Primary Health Care Center. BUNG CLINIC Likewise, COVID-19 preventive materials were handed over to Community Medicine Assistant (CMA), Mr. Sachin Rai of the Bung Clinic on 5th May 2020 in the presence of chairperson of Mahakulung Rural Municipality, Mr. Sagar Kirat Rai. The clinic is visited by more than 15 patients daily. Currently, six senior citizens have been taking shelter at the Sir Edmund Hillary Elderly Health Care Center. Both the clinic and the elderly home are managed by a single management committee. The procurement of the essential materials were supported by Himalayan Trust New Zealand. Sir Edmund Hillary Stiftung Germany also supports the clinic with medicine worth Rs. 100,000 per year. COVID-19 preventive materials handed over to CMA, Mr. Sachin Rai of Bung Clinic. COVID-19 AWARENESS PROGRAMMES IN KHUMBU Medical Superintendent, Dr. Kami Temba Sherpa, of Kunde Hospital/ Himalayan Trust has been educating the local Sherpa community on remaining safe from the COVID-19 infection. He has been traveling to villages of the Khumbu- Thame, Thamo, Khumjung, Phortse, Pangboche and educating as well as informing the locals about coronavirus and what should be done to remain safe from its infections. Dr. Kami, along with Lab Technician, Tshering Thendup, conducted community awareness talks about COVID-19 at Phortse and Pangboche on the 1st and 2nd of May 2020. The talks were attended by more than 15 people at Phortse and 25 at Pangboche. The local people acknowledged that the talks were very informative and educating about COVID-19 and preventive measures. Community awareness talks about COVID-19 held at Pangboche and Phortse villages. COVID-19 prevention and response related talk programme held at Monjo Clinic. Dr. Mingma Kanchhi Sherpa and Nurse Fura Doma Sherpa from Kunde Hospital visited Monjo clinic to deliver the COVID-19 prevention and response-related talk programme on 5th May 2020. The talk and discussion programme was attended by 25 people from Benkar, Chhumoa, Monjo, and Jorsalle villages. Community Medical Assistant (CMA) of Monjo Clinic, Lhakpa Gyalzen Sherpa, facilitated the programme. The programme was found to be very informative and useful as the local people had read different types of information from social media and had many confusions regarding the disease in their mind. The discussion and meeting with the medical professions could clarify and correct the wrong information and increase community understanding about the disease. Whereas, HTN developed a radio jingle about Corona Virus and subscribed to Himal FM to air the jingle. Himal FM is an FM station based in Salleri. CLINICS IN OPERATION The clinic at Thame has been in operation since the first week of April 2020. Therefore, regular health check-ups and other services are available in the clinic. Community Medical Assistant (CMA), Saran Dwoj Kulung, is running the clinic. Similarly, the clinic at Phortse is also in operation. The first step before checking in the clinic is to wash their hands with soap and water thoroughly. Though it may sound simple it is a very meaningful action to prevent COVID-19 infection. CMA – Mrs. Ang Dawa Sherpa is running the Phortse clinic. CMA Mr. Saran Dwoj Kulung at Thame Clinic. Phortse Clinic MONJO WATER AND FIRE HYDRANT PROJECT IN PROGRESS Monjo and Chumoa Drinking Water and Fire Hydrant Project has been progressing impressively. The local community has taken great ownership and leadership of the project. The project will benefit more than 267 local people and thousands of trekkers who pass through Monjo and Chumoa villages on the Everest Trail. The project is expected to be completed by the end of July 2020. The project is supported by Khumbu Pasannglhamu Rural Municipality, Sagarmatha National Park Buffer Zone, Himalayan Trust New Zealand, Slovak Aid through Slovak Embassy New Delhi, Messner Mountain Foundation and Himalayan Trust Nepal. Once the project is complete, it will fulfill three major objectives: 1. Provide clean drinking water supply 2. Provide fire risk management facility and 3. Provide small irrigation facility to local farmers to improve their livelihood.