Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 24

The combined effect of poverty, lack of access and steep medical costs usually forces most disabled people to endure their disability, without hope of cure. There is, however, hope in the offing, thanks to Dr Chakra Raj Pandey, orthopaedic surgeon at the Medicare National Hospital and Research Centre, who has set up a Medicare Hospital Orthopaedic Charity Fund.

"The main objective is to ease the financial burden of musculoskeletal ailment patients, and serve the underprivileged," says Dr Pandey.

Born in an agriculture-based family, Dr Pandey hails from a remote village in Melamchi. "Though we had enough to eat, we did not have enough to spare or enjoy," he says.

Struggling up life’s ladder, Dr Pandey had a deep desire to help the poor some day. It was after he saw the plight of some of the patients in the hospital that he threw himself into the task of setting up the fund.

While starting on his yeoman’s service, he gifted Rs 50,000 as tribute to his parents, Satya Chandra and Bishnu Laxmi, who are yet to see him function as an orthopaedic surgeon. Dr Pandey is aware that there are other organisations working for a similar cause.

"My effort might be just a drop in the ocean, but it is immensely satisfying that we have been able to alleviate some of the pain the poor people suffer."

Set up on June 25, 2003, the fund has supported treatment of five underprivileged people till date. Dr Pandey performed the surgeries gratis, and money from the fund was used to pay charges for hospital room, operation theatre, anaesthesia, medicines and implants, all at a discount. "The patients are asked to arrange for their food and transportation only," said Dr Pandey.

Currently, the fund has Rs 2,00,000 and Dr Pandey said the department would use it carefully after identifying those patients who are really needy.

At present, the fund can manage a maximum of four surgeries per month.

With pride, Dr pandey said that most of the contributors to the fund were his patients.

He is concentrating on using the fund for complicated orthopaedic problems that need long-term follow-up and advanced surgery, both of which are not possible elsewhere for the needy.

The fund has been kept within the hospital account and every penny is acco-unted for.

The records of patients benefiting from the fund have been posted on a website, www.orthopaedics.com.np/charity.htm. Contributions are also solicited, said Dr Pandey.

This charity fund has applied for registration as the National Musculo-Skeletal Charity and Research Foundation (MUSCARF) and will be established as an autonomous body.

"In the long run, we also hope to support surgeons who would like to provide voluntary services for the poor to help them," says Dr Pandey.