Background

In 2007 Bir Singh Gurung, a local Nepalese trekking and expedition leader, decided to undertake a project that would make a real difference to the lives of remote Nepalese villagers. In the thirteen years that Bir Singh has been employed by World Expeditions, a well known Australian adventure company, his expeditions have taken him to many remote regions. “Whenever I travel through these remote villages, I always feel regret that we are just travelling through without being able to give them any help. The time has come to do something”
An opportunity presented itself in the isolated village called Ghandruk in the Kaski district of Annapurna Region. The only medical service available to this village and the local area is a simple sub-health post providing only the basic facilities. The attendant has rudimentary training and is only able to dispense a small number of very basic medications. Any condition requiring serious medical attention demands that the patient walk or be carried 7 hours across rugged terrain, followed by a 45 Km drive to the nearest hospital in Pokhara. It is no surprise that there are many stories of people dying before they can receive treatment.
After consulting with the Ghandruk village elders and obtaining endorsement from government officials, it was decided that this community of 5872 people would benefit greatly from an improved healthcare facility. continued…