Craniofacial Centre Nepal
Future Faces has established the Craniofacial Centre Centre Nepal. The centre, which was inaugurated on 2nd August 2017, is attached to Janakpur Trauma Hospital, an established not-for profit multispeciality trauma care, rehabilitation and training centre to which a new extension has recently been completed and furnished for the craniofacial centre outpatients. An agreement has been reached with the Orthopaedic Trauma Foundation of Nepal, owners of the hospital for all surgery and associated services to be provided in the existing well equipped hospital
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In the spirit of WHO guidelines, Sustainable Goals 2030 and the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (2015), the aims are to train people with required knowledge and skills, establish systems and structures to enable people to be effective and to strengthen capacities, set priorities and use resources effectively.
Presently in Nepal, all the major health facilities are situated in Kathmandu, though no dedicated craniomaxillofacial service, and patients from all parts of the country have to travel great distances for services. After the earthquake in 2015 an urgent need to develop services elsewhere became apparent. Kathmandu and the surrounding mountain regions were the worst hit areas and facilities became inaccessible physically and psychologically. Moreover, the migration of people from mountain regions to the plains has already started. Therefore, establishing a hospital dedicated to cleft and craniomaxillofacial surgery in Janakpur is ideal
In December 2017, the Chairman and Sunil Sah visited the new craniofacial centre. Great progress has been made. There is a fantastic new building adjacent to the Janakpur Orthopaedic Hospital, built from ‘Hempcrete”, a combination of hemp and gypsum, a fully equipped for out-patient consultations and for minor operations. There is also an admin office and conference room, and of course, an emergency power generator
We have seven permanent staff, including two surgeons, two dentists, a social worker/liaison officer, two staff nurses and we share with the orthopaedic hospital an accountant/admin officer and a cleaner.
Operating facilities are fairly basic and need updating. In particular, we need a new anaesthetic machine, decent lights and an upgrade of the facilities for laying up instruments and cleaning them
Whilst there, there a gala charity dinner was held to which all local dignitaries and politicians were invited, along with many other local doctors. About 150 people attended
The First International Conference on Craniofacial Anomalies was held on 17th December. Faculty from overseas joined local experts for an extremely well organised day, attended by 75 people, including the Presidents of the Nepalese Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons and Nepalese Dental Association
The success of this new centre is largely due to the commitment of several Nepalese surgeons who give up time from their practice to travel large distances and spend long weekends in Janakpur, seeing patients and operating. Without them it would be impossible for the centre to function.
We are also indebted to Intouch Global Foundation for their substantial financial commitment, without which we would not have been able to start, let alone continue this venture
We had a meeting with HM Ambassador to Nepal, Richard Morris, who tweeted (:https://twitter.com/Richard_Nepal) “fascinating conversation with Future Faces organisation about their work on craniofacial care in Nepal, and in particular, work on a new centre in Janakpur. We are most grateful to him for his time and interest and support.