• The existing Health Post in Kharikhola received no support from the Nepalese Health system.
• The Health Post had virtually no medical supplies of even the most basic of materials or medications.
• The “nurse“ based in the village had little experience in matters medical and little back up.
• The nearest medical support was two days walk away from Kharikhola.
• Villagers to the east of Kharikhola were even more remote and would have up to a two day additional walk over land to get medical assistance.
• Here was a community needing medical support urgently.
• With the support of veteran Nepal traveller Alan Jellyman it was decided to commit energy, talents and expertise to seek support for this programme in New Zealand by creating a Charitable Trust known as “The Band-Aid Box Trust”.

• The Trust was formed on 6th October 2006

Founding Trustees are Robyn Mary Drake and Alan Dean Jellyman

Purposes of the Trust:

• To use the income for the health, education, well-being and advancement of the people of Kharikhola.
• To provide dental, optical, audio and medical care for such people.
• To provide opportunities for health education.
• To advance objects by capital works or expenditure on services, equipment, plant or personal use.

• Groups from throughout the community knit socks, hats , jerseys and dolls for the children of Nepal.

  Presentations are made throughout the year to a wide variety of community groups along with the sale of selected merchandise.

• Donations are sought through a postal appeal.

• Selected projects are priced and sponsorship sought.

• Donations of materials are gathered and assembled to fill identified needs.

• Isobel Rose and Juliet Kojis attend to a child with head lice.

  Robyn Drake Project Manager/coordinator.

• Volunteers Nursing:
  Isobel Rose Sister of St. John, Juliet Kojis NZRN, Aileen Kirby NZRN, Liz Quin NZRN.

• Volunteer Medical ENT Surgeon:
  Dr Andrew Kim.

• Volunteer Optical:
  William Perriam Optometrist, Teresa Ho Optometrist, Dick North Optician.

• Volunteer Man Friday:
  Dave Slaten and Alan Morris.

• Nepalese Medical: Dr Pritam Neupane, Medical Director. Dr Binod Aryal and Dr Mahdurima Bahdra, Dental Surgeon.

• Logistics and Accommodation Mr Ngima Dorji Sherpa, Nepal Myths and Mountain Trails PTY.

• Kharikhola Village Hospital Committee and translation volunteers.

• Villagers of all castes waited patiently for their turn to see the doctor.

  A total of 2400 patients registered and treated.

• Main conditions treated were: gastrointestinal 33%, ophthalmology 26%, musculoskeletal 16%, dental 16%, ENT 13%, respiratory 11%, dermatology 7 %.

• All ethnic groups in a caste based community attended to without discrimination.

• 900 patients were screened for refractive errors by the optical team with 500 pairs of prescription glasses dispensed along with 100 pairs of fit-over sunglasses.

• The Optical team saw 3 per day with seriously impaired vision and in need of immediate surgery and another 6 per day with cataract problems.

• The Optical team screening assessment showed between 36 and 40 people seen would need ophthalmic surgery.

• Lack of a reliable source of power and lack of equipment in the dental area were drawbacks to the success of the clinic.

• A kerosene generator was shipped to Nepal but a broken starter rope early in the programme was unable to be repaired so little benefit was gained.

• Dr Madhurima Bahdra, Dental Surgeon, performs a difficult dental procedure.

  The Dentist operated for 8 hrs each day with a plastic chair and either sat the patient in her lap or knelt on the floor with the patient in the chair.

• Every opportunity was taken to provide education on personal and oral hygiene.

• Many poverty stricken children were provided with knitted clothes and their first knitted doll.

• Adult patients were provided with packets of vegetable seeds to improve their crops.

• A dedicated team worked solidly for 14 days and gave a month of their time to achieve the Trust’s Aim of “Making a Difference” for the people of Khari Khola.

• A comprehensive analysis report of the clinic by Dr Pritam Neupane provided the basis for planning the 2007 clinic.

• Dr Deepak, ophthalmologist, screens an optical patient with the aid of a slit lamp & tonometer donated from New Zealand.

  A Nepalese Ophthalmic Team were contracted to provide a 7- day surgery to villagers requiring eye surgery and to maintain the optical screening programme.

• A volunteer Gynaecologist was sought to initiate a screening and assessment programme for the women of the villages and to establish the level of antenatal care and education available.

• A Nepalese Dentist was contracted to provide ongoing education and treatment

• Two Nepalese Doctors and a Registered Nurse were contracted to manage and maintain the medical services for duration of the clinic.

• Support was sought for equipment to improve the conditions under which staff worked.

• A dental chair and dentist’s stool were an urgent need for the clinic.

• A rescue type stretcher was required to improve the ability of villagers to carry sick patients to medical help.

• Supplies required were much more explicit after two clinics and made known to possible providers.

• The Trust was able to focus attention on more specific areas for the clinic.

• Coordination and support from Nepalese Doctors and Nepal Myths and Mountain Trails Pty facilitated all the planning to provide a further 14-day clinic in April 2007.

• A trekking programme was again offered in conjunction with the Medical Clinic.

• A reliable supply of electricity was provided by the village committee.
• An autoclave was donated from New Zealand ensuring full sterilization of surgical instruments.
• Adequate surgical lighting was provided.
• A slit-lamp and tonometer was donated from New Zealand for enhanced optical testing.
• The surgical equipment for Ophthalmic Surgery team was able to be fully functional to enable Cataract surgery to be conducted.
• A dental chair and stool was donated and shipped from New Zealand to Nepal to greatly advance conditions under which dental care was delivered.
• Anaesthesia and pain relief materials were available for all dental procedures enabling care of dental caries.
• A lightweight rescue stretcher was shipped from New Zealand for the transportation of patients from villages to medical care.

• Ophthalmic surgery was completed by the Nepalese team with 24 cataract replacements and 200 prescription spectacles dispensed.

  A team of 22 people from New Zealand travelled to Nepal taking 300 kilograms of materials for the programme.
• The Medical Team comprised: Dr Binod Aryal, Medical Director; Dr.Sajeev Uprety, Surgeon; Dr Navin Agrawal, , Dental Surgeon; and Sr Uma Shrestha, Nepali Registered Nurse.
• 2200 patients were registered and treated.
• Village midwives were assembled and given a day long education course on birthing and antenatal
  care by New Zealand Volunteer Gynaecologist Dr. Paul Dempsey.
• The Ophthalmological Team was led by Dr Gulsan Shrestha.
• The New Zealand Volunteer Team for the clinic comprised: Robyn Drake , Programme Director and Manager; Dr Paul Dempsey, Gynaecologist; Jenny Coulson, NZRN; Tracey King NZRN; Libby Brown NZRN; SandyWatt, Dental Therapist; and Joan Willison, helper (joined later).
• Ophthalmic surgery was completed by the Nepalese team with 24 cataract replacements and 200 prescription spectacles dispensed.

The Band-Aid Box Trust has been generously supported by a wide range of corporate groups in the provision of funds, materials and equipment;

• Mary Anne Costello Dental Surgeon supplied anaesthetic products and dental hygiene manuals.

• Henry Schien Regional supplied dental instruments and product for caries.

• New Zealand Customs deployed staff for all three clinics to inspect and provide export certificates for all supplies to be shipped to Nepal.

• Southern Cross Hospital’s, Rick Lloyd arranged supply of anaesthetic products.

• Dr Dominc Firkin of Smile Solutions supplied dental products for 2006.

• Project Nepal of Tasmania sponsored optical surgery and dental surgery.

• New Zealand Window Shades sponsored optical screening.

• Maryanne Dransfield of New Zealand Optics Magazine facilitated donations of prescription and fit-over spectacles, and optical pharmaceuticals.

• Papakura Pakeke Lions Club supplied rescripted glasses.

• Fitzroy Rotary Club collected glasses for re-use in 2006.

• McKinnon Driver and Weir Optometrists rescripted used glasses.

• Voluntary Ophthalmic Services Overseas, Lex Growcott supplied 600 pairs of glasses in 2006.

• Jenny Ogier, Greenlane Penrose Optometrist donated a slit-lamp and tonometer.

• An operational dental chair was donated by R. A. Jenks N.Z.; Dental Equipment Specialists.

• Ravensdown Fertilizer donated containers for transport of materials.

• Vision Marketing and Distribution Donated “ready readers “and UV shields.

• Arco Optical donated sunglasses.

• Eyeline Optical donated hand held occluders.

• Alcon provided optical pharmaceuticals.

• Future Grafix for commercial printing.

• William Perriam Optometrist facilitated provision of “E- charts” for eye testing of illiterate villagers.

• Medicine Mondiale facilitated supply of lenses for cataract surgery from the Fred Hollowes Tilanga Hospital in Kathmandu.

  

The Taranaki community has embraced the purposes of the Band-Aid Box Trust programme with great generosity of spirit.

• Television New Zealand sent reporter John Newton to Nepal with the 2006 group to report on the programme and other political matters.

• Taranaki Daily News, Midweek, Stratford Press and Live Magazine have published features.

• Radio Network and Radioworks have broadcast support programmes and interviews.

• nglewood, Fitzroy, Christchurch and Pukekura Rotary Clubs have provided funding and material support.

• Stan Long has donated his photographic skills in preparation of publicity presentations and exhibitions.

• The New Zealand Federation of Women’s Institutes branches throughout Taranaki have provided knitted clothing and toys for the children.

• The branches of New Zealand Rural Women from throughout Taranaki have also provided knitted clothing and toys for children.

• The staff of Drakes Furnishing Inglewood has created much of the publicity material produced to support and promote the Band-Aid Box as well as processing donations of funds and materials.

• Many other community groups have received presentations on the Bandaid Box work and donated funds, knitting, and or purchased cards and other objects promoted by the Trust.

• Many individuals have made donations of funds and materials.

• Many local people have donated their time and talent in preparing materials for shipment to Nepal.

• The branches of New Zealand Rural Women from throughout Taranaki have also provided knitted clothing and toys for children.

Over the year a total of $48,373.00 was raised for the clinic the attached statement sets this out in detail. Key elements are:-

The estimated value of donated materials is as follows:

The estimated value of Volunteer contribution was in excess of $35 000.00

The following is the projected expenditure for the 2008 and future clinics.

• An employment contract has been executed to secure a paramedic to provide medical services and monitoring in Khari Khola for the year ending 30June 2008.

• The paramedic will continue post-discharge care following skin grafts and orthopaedic surgery organized by the Band-Aid Box for a snake-bite victim.

• A joint presentation on the 2007 Clinic and Trekking Programmes has been prepared and promoted to an audience of 150 as a fund raising event.

• A programme of presentations throughout the year is being maintained.

• Planning for the 2008 clinic and trekking programme is being undertaken.

• Expressions of interest from volunteers will be sought for the 2008 clinic.

• Promotion brochures for both clinic and trek programmes will be prepared and circulated.

• Contracts will be negotiated for the Nepalese medical staff.

• Contracts will be negotiated for the provision of transport and accommodation.

• Prescription medicine requirements will be confirmed and orders placed in Kathmandu.

• Sponsorship for specific items or programmes will be sought.

• The next clinic will be set for a 14-day period in April 2008.