Health
Since the founding of the school, it has been our goal to improve the health situation of the population of Phoksundo, as far as our financial and human resources allow. Since 2013, we have had a health team at Tapriza Switzerland strategically responsible for the further development of our projects.
For over 20 years, we have supported the Tibetan medicine of the Amchis, established health centers, and awarded scholarships to graduates of the Tapriza School or Dolpo who are aspiring to train in the medical field. We also collaborate with various Nepalese and international organizations in education and prevention work. Our board member Claudia Schmid, and previously Dr. Hans Marty and Dr. Peter Abbühl, have specifically advocated for health projects and their funding. In the meantime, they have founded their own NGO, Dolpo Care, with which we collaborate. Wherever possible, we also coordinate with other NGOs.
Health and Infrastructure
- Supporting health posts
- Supporting Tibetan medicine
- Supporting veterinary medicine
- Educating children in local herbalism
- Infrastructure projects: water, electricity, bridges, paths
- Supporting ecological diversity
- Adult education in local crafts
- Adult education in various topics
Tibetan Medicine
Since the medical clinic in Chunubar, right next to the school, lost its funding from the People and Plants Initiative and WWF Nepal in 2006, we have supported the clinic and also the Amchis working there.
Since the Amchis are monks and are not allowed to engage in commercial activities, we help with food contributions so that they can stay at the clinic more often.
The Amchis teach at the Tapriza School about local culture, botany, and medicine. Students help them collect the plants and learn about their uses in the process.
The Beginnings: Health Post
Since 2007, we have expanded the health post next to the Amchi Clinic with the help of donations. Rooms for examination and treatment were built here. The post was supervised by a health worker from the department. Since he was rarely there, we additionally hired a nurse, Pasang Dolma. She is a former Tapriza student and received scholarships from us for her nursing training.
Since the maternal and child mortality rate during childbirth in Dolpo was very high, we expanded the health services in collaboration with the health department and the organizations One Heart World Wide and Dolpo Tulku Charitable Foundation. A central maternity clinic was established at our health post, along with two outposts in the villages of Ringmo and Pugmo for outpatient treatments. We supported local nurses with midwifery training and also installed ultrasound equipment.
New Government Clinic
In 2019, the government opened a new health post below the school. This is a big step in the right direction, and healthcare provision in Dolpo has improved. The salary of "our" nurse Pasang Dolma is now partially covered by the government. We still cover a part of her salary because she regularly visits the school and is responsible for the healthcare of our students. Her regular presence is a great relief for the school management.
Education and Medical Camps
We regularly support education and prevention campaigns at the health post and at the school. In doing so, we sometimes provide financial resources, facilities, or personnel. The events cover topics such as the prevention of diseases (e.g., AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis), pregnancy, childbirth, menstruation, as well as other health concerns.
In collaboration with other organizations and doctors, we also repeatedly organize medical camps where people from the region have direct access to medical help. For example, eye surgeries to treat cataracts have been performed.
Scholarships
We award scholarships to former Tapriza students and, in exceptional cases, also to other young people from Dolpo who wish to complete training in the medical field. They can live free of charge in our hostel in Kathmandu and receive an additional contribution towards their course fees. The goal is for them to return to work in Dolpo after their training and thus contribute to improving the local medical care.