Mission Korak, June 6, 2015

 

                   Anyways the life once paralyzed after the earthquake had begun to normalize; people were visible more in the farm than in the streets as they had no choice ahead without works. I too had begun my regular works after finishing some health camp relief works in the affected areas.

                   Then one evening, Mr. Birendra Mahato, chairman of the Tharu Museum, Chitwan, called me for a Free Health camp for 2 days at Korak VDC, Chitwan. Initially I wasn’t interested, but later I thought everybody is focusing the relief works to Gorkha and Sindhupalchok, why not now Korak? Beside I was happy as we were raising some fund for Kamal-Bipin Foundation through this free health camp.

                  Korak is a remote VDC of chitwan, and the Chepangs are the main inhabitants of this area. I had heard about this place lots of times especially during vote counting in the election but I hadn’t had an opportunity to go to Korak till now.

                   After arranging the medical teams and necessary logistics, we headed towards the Korak. On the way we met Susan George Rydberg from Detroit, Michigan, USA, a lady with big heart and the local NGOs like RRN and NRUSEC which were working under our coordination for the social mobilization.

                  We left the east west highway and headed towards

the north. Gradually ways started to be jumpy and dusty; at the

same time the day had already begun to be scorching hot, though

it was early 8:00 am in the morning. Following the waterless river,

we were gradually approaching Korak. People looked busy in their

regular work; there wasn’t too much devastation due to earthquake

in the area.

                When we reached there, it had already been 9:30, and

few patients were already there waiting for us. So we made the

OPDs and Pharmacy and registration room quickly, and started the

clinic without wasting any time.

                Then the crowds began to enlarge; the people had come from long distance walking ups and downs of hills ; they had walked for more than two or three hours. Mostly they were Chepangs and Tamangs, and some of them were nearly blind due to bilateral cataracts. It was too pity to see that even a minimal health was a far cry for these indigenous people. We had an eye team with us but we had not planned for the cataract surgeries there. I was happy when Susan sister agreed to help these people financially for the cataract surgery at Bharatpur.

                Besides we provided presbyopic eyeglassess to the needy

old peoples. The smiles on thier faces after they got the eyeglasses

were enough to make us happy.

 

                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                         We had medical, pediatric, Obs/Gynaecology and Orthopedic OPDs, and though the medical teams were well organised, still the people were flocked in the queue in front of the clinics. As the day passed, I was worried whether we could complete our work there lest stormy weather might catch up us. We saw around three hundred patients over there; we tried to help them as much as we could do; and those who might need futher evaluations, we advised refferal to nearby hospitals.

                         While returning, the sun was on west horizon with its natural dusky hue and perhaps a sense of contentment was there within me and perhaps that was the reason that way of return was looking less jumpy. My mind was silent; and perhaps it was making a plan for another day for Korak.