Bringing hope for hospitals in Nepal

Press Release – Kathmandu

Bringing hope for hospitals in Nepal: Nepal is advancing national preparedness for emergencies in hospitals and medical facilities with a training course called Hospital Preparedness for Emergencies (HOPE). With the support of the Institute of Medicine, Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), the doctors, nurses, and hospital administration personnel are developing new skills to save lives in disasters.

The HOPE course just completed training members of the Nepal Armed Police (APF) at the Armed Police Headquarters, Halchowk, Kathmandu from 23-26 August 2011. Twenty-eight members of the Armed Police Force Hospital took part, including medical doctors, nurses, hospital engineers, lab technicians, physiotherapists, administration staff and dentists, together comprising 11 female and 17 male staff. The participants developed vital skills such as; how to plan for mass-casualty disasters, understanding building and equipment safety in disasters, coordinating with emergency services and authorities, effective communications for public health, as well as other disaster management skills necessary to help the affected population after a major disaster.

The Armed Forces of Nepal have a very important role in disaster response and HOPE is enhancing their skills. This is the third HOPE training exclusively for the Nepal Armed Forces and the second this year – with previous course for Nepal Army personnel in April 2011. Participants from various hospitals in Kathmandu also undertook HOPE in 2010. The HOPE course has been conducted in several Kathmandu hospitals since 2004 and has extended into the provinces of Nepal through the training of healthcare personnel, both administrative and medical in Zonal, Regional and Central Government hospitals. This will help hospitals and healthcare facilities to prepare to manage casualties from earthquakes, landslides and floods. HOPE-trained personnel are able to design faculty-specific plans to increase their ability to respond to emergencies and continue functioning to provide critical medical care.

HOPE is being implemented by Institute of Medicine (IOM), Tribhuvan University (TU), in Nepal, and is part of the Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER) which is managed by the ADPC, Bangkok, Thailand and by the National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET-Nepal). PEER is an Asia-regional program, operational in nine countries and funded by United States Agency for International Development - Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID-OFDA), with supplemental support from American Red Cross (ARC).

At the opening ceremony on the 23 August 2011, the Inaugural Address was given by AIGP Kosh Raj Onta, Chief, Operations Department, AFP. He said; “APF is the primary response force in Nepal in times of disasters. Disaster management is a continuous learning process, but development goals in Nepal can only be achieved when disaster risk management is mainstreamed into all development activities. We welcome the support of ADPC to develop the capacity of APF, through the HOPE course.”

Welcome remarks were given by Prof. Arun Sayami, Dean, IOM-TU, with message from Mr. John Abo, PEER Deputy Chief of Party, ADPC, Bangkok, and the vote of thanks was given by Prof. Pradeep Vaidya, Nepal Coordinator for HOPE, IOM-TU.

The Inspector General of the APF was the chief guest at the closing ceremony and distributed certificates to the HOPE graduates. In his closing ceremony, he said: “Thanks to IOM-TU and ADPC for developing capacity in the Armed Police Force. We have the mandate from the government to act as the principal actor in disaster situations, but this is not possible without help from all agencies. HOPE graduates can now implement what they have learned and be prepared for any sort of disaster in Nepal.”

APF has 65 officers who have graduated from other PEER courses in Medical First Response and Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue – with the collaboration of NSET-Nepal. APF has also established Nepal’s only Disaster Management Training Center, located at Kuringtar. HOPE has been running since 2003 in Nepal, Bangladesh, India Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines. At this week’s course, the Course Coordinator was Ms. LD Maharjan of TU Teaching Hospital, and the Course Monitor was Col. Dr. Naresh Giri, Birendra Army Hospital. The HOPE Instructors were; Engr. Jishnu Subedi from the Engineering Institute, Dr. Nabees Pradhan from Patan Hopsital, Dr. Chirring Yonzon from Stupa Community Hospital, supported by Dr. Pradeep Vaidya. Assistant Instructors were Dr. Rameshor Pokharel of TU Teaching Hospital and Dr. Roshana Shrestha, Kist Medical College.

Please go to the PEER Website for regularly updated activities, photographs and reports: www.adpc.net/peer.
For more information and photographs contact: Esther Lake, ADPC Communication and Information Coordinator [email protected] tel: +66 (0) 2298 0681 ext 407 website: www.adpc.net/peer

Notes to Editors
ADPC: Established in 1986 at the initiatives of three UN agencies – WMO, UNDP and UNOCHA, ADPC supports the advancement of safer communities and sustainable development, through implementing programs and projects that reduce the impact of disasters upon countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER): A regional training program initiated in 1998 by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s, Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) strengthening disaster response capacities in nine countries in Asia.