For a year now I’ve been working for the Noncommunicable Disease Alliance, known as NCD Alliance. One of the more creative things I’ve done in that time is produce a series of short videos on NCDs in rural Nepal, specifically in the district of Achham, in Nepal’s Far-West region.
NCDs refer to various non-contagious diseases, including cancers, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung diseases, as well as mental health issues. Not surprisingly when you look at that list, NCDs are responsible for more deaths each year than any other cause.
NCDs care via Bayalpata Hospital
In Achham our work – I went with a great videographer, Srawan Shrestha, who gets most credit for the videos we produced – centred around Bayalpata Hospital, a unique institution run by an NGO that provides all services for free. (The photo above shows patients walking toward the hospital).
Although the hospital is located in a district that is still often termed ‘remote’, it is having to allocate a fast-growing amount of resources to NCDs prevention and care, although many people still consider NCDs ‘lifestyle diseases’ that afflict only people of high-income countries.
If you’re interested, check out the series on YouTube and/or watch the first video below (and see an article I wrote for Nepali Times). Feel free to send comments or questions.
The view from here 