A team of ophthalmologists headed by Dooley Intermed International President Scott Hamilton and Dr. Ronald C Gentile from New York are travelling to Nepal to provide majorly-required ophthalmic care for more than 1000 villagers from Gunghadi, Western Nepal’s Mugu district, one of the most impoverished and remote Nepali regions.

Nepal-based Himalaya Eye Hospital and the Pema Ts’al Sakya Monastic Institute experts will be supporting the mission.

Talking about the potential of cataract surgery, Dr. Gentile said that it is one of the economic and satisfying surgeries in the field of medicine as patients receive relief overnight with successful results of full eyesight restoration.

About the expedition, he said, “All medical care, eyeglasses, medicines and surgeries will be provided completely free of cost to everyone in need.”

The team of experts will include, Yale School of Medicine Ophthalmology & Visual Science Associate Professor Chris Teng MD and Advanced Eye Medical Group Oculoplastic Surgeon Omar Ozgur, among others.

Dooley Intermed Operation ‘Restore Sight’ team has treated more than 1,500 patients from Lower Mustang and Upper Gorkha regions and has been instrumental in the construction of a new Eye Hospital in Nepal’s Kavre District.

The sight restoration program is scheduled to begin in October.

While the Nepal Government is making serious efforts in improving and increasing its medical health care reach, it is the efforts of international health missions like the Gift of Sight Expedition that fill the missing gaps in health care provision in Nepal’s remote parts.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 39 million people are blind worldwide, out of which, approximately 90% of them live in low-income areas and 80% suffer from sight problems that can be cured.

But it’s noteworthy to mark Nepal’s progress in terms of health care so far. The country’s success can be measured through its initiatives to fight and eradicate eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy and trachoma.

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In an event organized by NHRC , Nepal Health and Population (NHP) Minister Upendra Yadav said that excerpts from research data will assist in formulating effective laws and policies in the Nepali health sector.

Until now, the government has been relying on expert suggestion or available data for health policy formulation.

“The Central Government has been working on the basis of available data and is, thus, managing health programs throughout the country. In the same way, local governments should also conduct scientific research to identify problems and formulate rules and regulations based on such study,” said Yadav.

Adding further he said, formulating policies based on research will help in aligning with the Nepal Government’s sustainable development goals (SDG).

NHRC Executive Chair, Dr Anjani Jha who was also present at the occasion said that the council has been conducting researches on various aspects including, communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental pollution and global warming.

“Such studies have helped formulate sound laws and their effective implementation,” says Jha.

He also assured that the NHRC will be available to support the Nepal Government in its initiatives.

“It is our duty to conduct research on different diseases in the country so that the government can make effective schemes in the health sector. We are always there to provide them the necessary data,” said Dr Jha, while adding that the council has begun research on mental health for the first time in the country’s history.

Currently, Nepal lacks quality research centres due to which it is dependent on international non-governmental organizations.

Adding to this, Dr. Pushpa Chaudhary, Secretary, Nepal Health and Population Ministry said, “We need to develop our own research centers so that we can perform research as per the need of the government to implement proper policies from the gathered evidences of the research.”

Nepal Government has assured that it will make use of research data to set plans that will reduce diseases and arrange for facilities according to the needs of its people.

“The government of Nepal has shown a positive attitude for the health sector. The government can achieve various world health goals if plans and policies are made according to its required amount,” said Prof Paul Garner, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Conclusion:
Nepal Government and its health sector are constantly working on updating and improvising the existing health practices in the country, we hope that they will be successful in establishing Nepal as one of the world leaders in the provision of healthcare.

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