Guest post by Jessica Cadesky, psychosocial service support worker currently in Nepal
All is abuzz at as preparations get underway for the handover of the Canadian Red Cross field hospital (ERU) to the District Health Office in Dhunche, Nepal.
Orders are being filled to replenish medicines and equipment; boxes are being counted and recounted for accuracy; and the din of ongoing training sessions for doctors and nurses continues, punctuated only by the laughter of children playing in the nearby psychosocial support tent. Something is happening in Dhunche. Something exciting.
After promptly deploying to Nepal to respond to urgent health needs in the remote rural town of Dhunche following the April 25th earthquake, the Canadian Red Cross has been supporting the Nepal Red Cross in collaboration with the District Health Office to ensure lifesaving medical care and psychosocial support to affected communities. Four months on, the Canadian Red Cross is thrilled that the local health authorities are in a position to resume control over the hospital. Nepal Red Cross is also gearing up to launch their psychosocial support program as the country enters the disaster recovery phase.
Young girls take part in activites organized by psychosocial workers.
Photos: Pascale Fouron / Canadian Red Cross
Training central to Canadian Red Cross support, sustainability
While the Canadian Red Cross doctors, nurses, psychosocial and other technical aid workers, also known as delegates, have provided direct services side by side with local health providers over the past few months, the support did not stop there. Ongoing and sustained training to mentor local staff has been a hallmark of the Canadian Red Cross’ emergency response in Dhunche, and this investment is already showing signs of a healthy return.
Nisha Ghale (pictured left) is a local Nepalese nurse and midwife working at the Dhunche hospital.
Nisha Ghale, staff nurse and midwife at the Dhunche hospital, explains how working at the field hospital has helped her in her goals to become an even better nurse. “I feel more confident now because the day I came to work at the hospital, I had to deliver 14 babies. One of the doctors, Dr. Maria Santos, helped me to deliver, and now I feel much more confident.”
Although the handover is a happy occasion, marking a turning point that returns responsibility for health and psychosocial services to the local providers, it is somewhat bittersweet for those who worked so closely with the international Red Cross team. “Obviously, we are sad that we are losing our helping hands, we’re going to miss the doctors and other staff,” says Nisha.
Good investment in local services
A glimmer of the longer term impact is already shining through in Dhunche. Local staff members comment positively on how they appreciate their strengthened skills and capacity. Again, Nisha affirms this. “I learned a lot with the ERU. I want to continue this work because learning is never ending,” she comments. “I would like to continue working herein Dhunche. This is my birthplace, and I am happy to help my people here. I also want to do further studies to become better and better.”
The handover was marked by an official ceremony with the Canadian Red Cross, Nepal Red Cross, the Dhunche District Health Officer and other local authorities. After this, the Canadian Red Cross has committed to ensuring ongoing support to the hospital and health system through sustained medical training and by maintaining a support team in place until the hospital is rebuilt, a project which is planned to start in six months.
The Nepal Red Cross will also continue to provide psychosocial support to disaster-affected communities through their recovery plan, which is to be carried out over the next two years. As to the field hospital itself, the elements that are not required for continuing care in Dhunche will serve as the base for Nepal Red Cross’ own mobile clinic, ready to serve the needs of Nepalese in the years to come.