Three years after a massive earthquake hit Nepal, the Canadian Red Cross remains on the ground with a focus on improving health in communities that were impacted by the disaster.
The Canadian Red Cross responded
immediately after the earthquake, with support like a mobile field hospital, Canadian aid workers on the ground, providing medical and first aid care, psychosocial support, and helping with basic needs like shelter, water and sanitation. Now, the work continues with the focus shifting to longer-term programs that will help rebuild a strong and resilient community.
Lives of women and girls have been transformed. With health projects focusing on reproductive, mothers, newborn, child and adolescent health as well as projects aimed at reducing violence in homes and communities.
The completion of new Red Cross-supported water systems means that people in remote areas no long need to spend hours fetching clean drinking water
Cash grants for those in the worst-hit regions helped when livelihoods were destroyed. Cash grants meant people were able to work on a business plan, like buying livestock or starting small businesses.
Construction was completed on an earthquake-resistant structure to replace the hospital in Dhunche, that was destroyed during the disaster
Rural healthcare has been strengthened through training for healthcare providers, in partnership with the Centre for Global Surgery – McGill University Health Centre, the Nepal Red Cross, local hospitals/medical teaching institutions.
The Canadian Red Cross is supporting the Nepal Red Cross in building its capacity to respond to future disasters – including maintaining a mobile emergency clinic
Responding to the earthquake, both in the immediate days and the years that have followed is possible thanks to the support of Canadians who generously donated, and the Government of Canada.