About us |
In 2011, Dinesh Prasad Koirala, a young Nepali doctor, and Gilles Mets, a Belgian medical student, met in the general ward of the Alka Hospital in Kathmandu. While on call, they had to take care of Samrat, a boy who would change their lives…
Samrat was around 6 months old, an suffered from a condition called ‘hydrocephaly’, which required urgent surgery. After surgery, he remained in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) to recover from this difficult procedure. Although there were no pediatric instruments available, Dinesh and Gilles took care of Samrat as well as possible through the night. The morning after, the boy seemed to be gradually recovering and Gilles returned to Belgium with high hopes for him. Unfortunately, two months later Samrat developed a fever at home, but his family did not have any funds left for a doctor's appointment. The family hoped for a spontaneuous recovery which did not come. Samrat was eventually brought in to the emergency unit with a severe infection and did not survive the day.
This news hit both young doctors hard. They realized they couldn't wait much longer and decided to act now. During their time together in Alka they had already been talking about starting a free clinic for children; to make first line diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and education accessible for all. And thus not more than one month later, ‘Ujeli Care Centre’ was established in Pokhara.
An international collaboration of young and motivated volunteers started raising money in order to fund the first health camps, under the leadership of doctor Dinesh Koirala. Little by little we grew and opened the 'Health Centre' in Parshyang, Pokhara. Almost 200 children every month visit our clinic for free advice, treatment or follow-up. The organization also brings free care to more remote and inaccessible regions. We provide, through the existing school structure, a general health review for all children as well as important education about first aid, hand and dental hygiene.
In this way we work both in a preventive and curative manner for the health of the underprivileged Nepali children who express their immense gratitude every time they receive help from Ujeli Care Centre.
Samrat was around 6 months old, an suffered from a condition called ‘hydrocephaly’, which required urgent surgery. After surgery, he remained in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) to recover from this difficult procedure. Although there were no pediatric instruments available, Dinesh and Gilles took care of Samrat as well as possible through the night. The morning after, the boy seemed to be gradually recovering and Gilles returned to Belgium with high hopes for him. Unfortunately, two months later Samrat developed a fever at home, but his family did not have any funds left for a doctor's appointment. The family hoped for a spontaneuous recovery which did not come. Samrat was eventually brought in to the emergency unit with a severe infection and did not survive the day.
This news hit both young doctors hard. They realized they couldn't wait much longer and decided to act now. During their time together in Alka they had already been talking about starting a free clinic for children; to make first line diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and education accessible for all. And thus not more than one month later, ‘Ujeli Care Centre’ was established in Pokhara.
An international collaboration of young and motivated volunteers started raising money in order to fund the first health camps, under the leadership of doctor Dinesh Koirala. Little by little we grew and opened the 'Health Centre' in Parshyang, Pokhara. Almost 200 children every month visit our clinic for free advice, treatment or follow-up. The organization also brings free care to more remote and inaccessible regions. We provide, through the existing school structure, a general health review for all children as well as important education about first aid, hand and dental hygiene.
In this way we work both in a preventive and curative manner for the health of the underprivileged Nepali children who express their immense gratitude every time they receive help from Ujeli Care Centre.