Palliative Care and Chronic Disease Services Buildings have been inaugurated at INF Nepal Green Pastures Hospital [GPH] amidst a formal programme.
Gandaki Province, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Shreeram Tiwari and INF Nepal Executive Board Chairman Ram Chandra Timothy jointly inaugurated the buildings by cutting the ribbon and unveiling the glass inscriptions.
Mr Secretary Dr Shri Ram Tiwari said it was a matter of pride for Gandaki Province that the new Palliative Care Services are available at Green Pastures Hospital in such a state of the art facility. He said, “GPH is well known for its quality services as it follows the excellent treatment system which is also a lesson for all the other hospitals including government in the province.” Secretary Dr Tiwari also expressed that the Gandaki Province government is willing to cooperate with the GPH for other public health issues, including palliative care.
The GPH’s Palliative Care specialist Dr Ruth Russell presented the services being provided by the new buildings. She stated that the new buildings have been providing Palliative Care inpatient services and counselling, doing community visits with the attention to the physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of the patients with chronic and incurable diseases such as cancer.
About 21 years ago, when they started Palliative Care Service in Nepal, very few people supported it, said the Vice-Chancellor of Patan Institute of Health Sciences, Prof. Dr Rajesh Gangol. “I am delighted that now organisations like INF/GPH are now involved in providing this service to people in need. He also highlighted that though Palliative Care is now included in national health policy, it hasn’t received as much attention as it needs from the government and policymakers.
Executive Director of Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital and President of the Nepali Palliative Care Association Prof. Dr Vishnu Dutta Paudel expressed his gratitude and best wishes to the INF Nepal Green Pastures Hospital. “This is a historic moment as the hospital is providing the Palliative Care Services through these well-equipped buildings and a dedicated team of staff. I am always ready to cooperate with INF Nepal to develop and expand this service in whatever way possible”, he commented.
Pokhara Metropolitan Ward no. 15 Chairperson Prakash Poudel also congratulated on launching the new services in the region. He said, “INF/GPH has earned a reputation for its quality services in the treatment of skin, ear and spinal cord related health issues, among others. I want to thank all involved for starting the new service.”
Speaking on occasion, Hem Kumari Ale, on behalf of the service recipients, said that the palliative care service of GPH has been excellent as they also provided her counselling services at home, and it has helped her live with confidence and new purpose in life.
Krishna Adhikari, Executive Director of INF Nepal, said that the inauguration of the buildings is a part of the organisation’s 70th-anniversary which INF is celebrating on 17th November. He thanked the Palliative Care team, partners and all involved in the successful completion of the buildings.
The formal programme started with the welcome speech of Dr Arun Kumar Budha, GPH director. The programme ended with the concluding remarks from the Chairman of the programme Ram Chandra Timothy. Manju BK conducted the programme.
Built with financial support from the McClay Foundation and EMMS International, the buildings are being used to provide inpatient care and counselling to patients needing palliative care services.
For more photos from the event, please visit: https://bit.ly/3hIpQa6