Volunteer
Society Nepal is playing an active role in linking
rural Nepali people with experienced medical
and health personnel from both Nepal and around
the world. The VSN Health Program mobilizes
volunteers experienced in medical and health
areas, to rural places where the government
is unable to provide a formal health institution.Many
rural Nepali people are often reluctant to go
to the hospital and other modern health services
because of orthodox thinking, superstition and
other cultural influences. Some Nepali people
may visit a witchdoctor when they are suffering
from an illness, so they sometimes die as a
result of avoiding modern medications. By living
and working with rural communities, Health Program
volunteers also increase the exposure of rural
Nepali people to modern medicine.
VSN welcomes all interested experienced medical
and health personnel, including students, professionals,
organizations, associations and other groups
to join the Health Program.
Health Program volunteers
will be involved in one or more of the following
programs:
Working in Health
Institutions in Nepal
Most of the health institutions in rural areas
in Nepal do not have trained and experienced
medical personnel, instead relying on the services
of untrained and inexperienced medical personnel.
In this program, trained and experienced health
volunteers will be assigned to sub-health posts,
hospitals, and other health institutions, either
being run by the government or a local community,
in rural or urban settings.Placement of volunteers
in these health institutions will increase the
capacity of Nepali health workers to provide
better medical facilities when doctors and experienced
medical personnel are not available. Volunteers
will work alongside doctors, nurses and other
health workers, providing training to untrained
and/or inexperienced personnel.Volunteers will
be assisted by a Nepali translator, increasing
the transfer of knowledge between the volunteer
and Nepali health workers. Volunteers will work
for 5-6hours each day,6 days a week.
Organising
Health Camp
During their time working in a health institution,
trained and experienced health volunteers will
be deployed to work in health camps for between
two and five days. Volunteers will work alongside
their Nepali counterparts to examine patients,
distribute medicine and consult with communities
about sanitation and health care. Volunteers’
participation in health camps will raises local
awareness of health and sanitation in rural
communities.
Health
and sanitation awareness
In this program, volunteers will mainly be involved
in working with the youth clubs, women's groups,
and other local organizations, teaching them
about proper health and sanitation. In addition,
volunteers will provide First-Aid information
to the local people in rural villages, thereby
providing them with a practical and sustainable
life-skill. Volunteers will also give similar
First Aid courses to children in government
schools, lasting from several days to a week
in duration. The volunteers’ major role
in this program is to educate and mobilize community
groups who can then pass the information onto
the community at large. This program is particularly
suitable for medical students and volunteers
with health training experience however we do
accept other applicants, provided they have
some experience in this area.
VSN encourages all interested experienced medical
and health personnel, including students, professionals,
organizations, associations and other groups
to join the Health Program and make a lasting
contribution towards supporting needy Nepali
people. |
