News Fall 2014--Physician Volunteers

Fall News 2014

Visitors!

We have been blessed here at Scheer Memorial Hospital with numerous visitors

coming from around the world to give assistance and help to the 

patients of Nepal.  Some are returning visitors and others are first-timers.

All are appreciated and all are needed.

(photo credit:  pinterest.com)

Have you seen this report of Nepal's Demographic Profile,  http://www.indexmundi.com/nepal/demographics_profile.html

or this one, which also has Nepal's rank?

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/profiles/Nepal/Health

As you can see, there is a shortage of health care workers here.
This article from The Himalayan Times tells about it:
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullTodays.php?headline=Nepal+faces+shortage+of+health+workers&NewsID=372153

 We have had three physician volunteers come from Germany/Austria this fall.

Dr. Christa Baczko, anesthesiologist, was here on a repeat assignment
to give anesthesia in the operating room while Dr. Ramon Ruiz Diaz was on vacation.


(photo credit:  howcast.com)

If her name sounds familiar, you may have read about her in this previous post:
http://scheermemorialhospital.blogspot.com/2014/02/fall-2013-news-part-4-anesthesia-machine.html

She was instrumental in helping us to obtain a new anesthesia machine
from Rotary International.  That post tells about it,
and shows her picture with the machine
and Mr. Laxman Thapa, operating room chief and anesthesia assistant.

Here is a picture of her in the OT at SMH,


and visiting Nepal!


Would you like to see where she lives in Austria?
Yes, it's the beautiful Alps!


Thank you again Dr. Baczko (and Rotary International)!

Our second physician volunteer who gave of his time and expertise
was Dr. Sieghard Freising, a surgeon from Friedrichshafen, Germany,
who came to help while our surgeon Dr. Shashinda Bhuju was on vacation.

Here he is in action on the left,

and relaxing after Dr. Shashinda Bhuju came back with (left to right)
Dr. Ramon Ruiz Diaz, Dr. Shashinda Bhuju, himself, and Najarman Mann.

(Thank you for the picture Dr. Bhuju!)

Thank you for coming Dr. Freising!
We wish you a very happy holiday season with your new granddaughter!

Our third visiting physician volunteer from Germany
was Dr. Karola Benning, internist.

We sure appreciate your time and service Dr. Benning!
You made a difference to your patients!
Here she is on the left with Sanu Nepal, clinic assistant,
and Dr. Gaurav Kumar Gupta, internist.

Again, we thank each of these doctors for volunteering their time
with us.  We hope to see them again if they are able to come back.

Here is a message from your patients:

(photo credit:  gopixpic.com)


Have a nice day!

Stay tuned for more news!

Pathfinder Day

Do you know what a Pathfinder is?

 

(photo credit:  en.wikipedia.org)

Yes, that is a Pathfinder--and a very nice one too!

However, we have a different kind of Pathfinder right here in Banepa, Nepal.

You can read about them here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinders_(Seventh-day_Adventist)

Yes, Pathfinders are members of the worldwide Pathfinder Club
of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
All interested young people, between the ages of 10 and 15,
 are welcome in any Pathfinder Club in the world!

The three tenants of the organization center around the physical, mental,
and spiritual aspects of life.

 

(photo credit:  behemoths.weebly.com)

Pathfinder Club members participate in learning classes
in which they can earn badges.

Those interested in learning about the classes, may visit the official
Pathfinder website for more information and many links,
including the history of the club:
http://www.pathfindersonline.org/classes/overview

Now, are you ready for some pictures of our amazing Pathfinders
on their special Pathfinder Sabbath?

Here they are:

After song service,

the platform team entered,

and our hospital's new CEO and his wife, Dr. Dale & Susen Mole, were introduced.
Welcome!

Next, two of our young gentlemen took up the offering.

We were very proud to hear a Bible verse memorization by one of our younger members.

and a Bible chapter memorization by a senior member!

Good job!

Next the club treated the congregation to a special music number,

followed by a sermon presented by one of our senior members.

One of our future Pathfinders wanted to clarify a point with Dr. Ramon.

We want to thank and congratulate all our Pathfinders, past, present, and future,
as they learn how to be the best adult they can be!


(photo credit:  biblia.com)

November 2014 Health Calendar

HAPPY NOVEMBER!

Yes, November is here already!  

Time really does fly by when you're having fun!

However, if you're not feeling well, you're not having fun.

It pays to keep yourself updated on health topics.

We hope you find this post informational and useful.

As always, please come in for a consultation if you have any health questions at all.

(photo credit:  http://www.holidays-and-observances.com/health-holidays.html)

November is Diabetes Awareness Month 

and November 14 is World Diabetes Day.

According to the International Diabetes Federation of South East Asia, about 382 million people have diabetes worldwide, and in 2013, 674,120 people in Nepal had diabetes.  To find out more, visit their website here:  http://www.idf.org/membership/sea/nepal 

The Nepal Diabetes Association's website is full of information and worth browsing:  http://nepaldiabetesassociation.com/index.php

Diabetes during pregnancy is especially dangerous.  This article, from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, entitled, "Check Your Knowledge:  Diabetes and Pregnancy" is worth reading:  http://www.cdc.gov/Features/DiabetesPregnancy/

http://www.diabetes.org/, the website of the American Diabetes Association, is full of information, such as the basics of Diabetes 1 and 2 (Did you know there are two kinds of diabetes?), food and fitness, how to lower your risk, and much more, including a risk test questionnaire you can take to help you determine if you are at risk and need to see a doctor.  Click here if you want to check it out:  http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/

Are you aware that there are Food Days, Weeks, & Months?  

To read all about this, click http://food.unl.edu/fnh/november

which takes you to November's page on the University of Nebraska at Lincoln's website.

You'll be happily surprised at all the information there, including recipes
and "Control Diabetes for Life" videos!

One interesting thing you'll learn is that November is Peanut Butter Month.  Click this website called snapfitness.com to find out some benefits of eating peanut butter:  http://www.snapfitness.com/blog/post/4-benefits-of-peanut-butter/2958

Do you like to cook?  peanutbutter.com has lots of yummy recipes:

http://www.peanutbutter.com/recipes.php

Want to make your own peanut butter?  kidshealth.com has a recipe:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/recipes/peanut_butter.html

Now that winter is slowly creeping its way to us, please follow fire safety tips--

and teach them to your children!

Click this website for more information:  http://safesoundfamily.com/blog/9-fire-safety-tips/

We wish you a safe, happy, and healthy November!

October 2014 Health Calendar

Good health cannot be overrated!

(photo credit:  fitnesstipsimages.blogspot.com)

If you are interested in learning more about some of the the health topics that were highlighted this October, you have come to the right place.  Here you will find useful links to information pages.


Perhaps you've noticed people wearing pink or putting pink ribbons on their cars or elsewhere.  Pink is the color for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is October.  In Nepal, breast cancer is second only to cervical cancer among Nepalese women.  Early detection is key to survival.  Please make sure the women in your life are reporting to their doctors for screening.  For information, please feel free to read this webmd article:  http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/

(photo credit:  thenortheastnews.com)

October is also the month to learn awareness about mental health.  This is something that people don't like to talk or even think about.  However, it's important to learn about and be aware of.  This article from the American Psychological Association gives some insight into mental health situations in Nepal:  http://www.apa.org/international/pi/2011/07/nepal.aspx.  It's worth reading and includes a link for further information about an organization in Nepal which helps those affected by mental health troubles.

(photo credit:  habibakhanom.com)

World Arthritis Day was this month.  Do you know that about 350 million people in the world have arthritis?  Wow!  According to the Arthritis Society Nepal, about 20% of Nepalese people have arthritis; however, only about 6,000 have been officially diagnosed.  Their website has many links and even a video:  http://arthritissocietynepal.com/about_arthritis.html

(photo credit:  wake-upworld.com)

Here is an interesting article concerning arthritis from The Himalayan Times:

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Arthritis+and+its+woes+&NewsID=313270

World Osteoporosis Day was recently here.  Do you know all there is to know about osteoporosis?  Check out the Mayo Clinic's article about it if you're not sure:  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/basics/definition/con-20019924

Do you believe that osteoporosis is a women's disease?  This article in The Himalayan Times explains that men are not immune to osteoporosis:

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Arthritis+and+its+woes+&NewsID=313270

(photo credit:  http://www.iofbonehealth.org/)

International Stuttering Awareness Day was this month.  Did you realize that stuttering is just as much a problem in Nepal as it is anywhere?  My Republica has a very interesting article about this problem:  http://theweek.myrepublica.com/details.php?news_id=76969

For more information, you can read this article from The Himalayan Times:

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Stuttering%3A+Consult+ENT%26sbquo%3B++neurologist+or+psychiatrist&NewsID=414664

(photo credit:  http://www.upstartmag.co.nz/sport_spot/articles/index.htm

We wish everyone reading this, and all of their loved ones, good health!

It cannot be overrated!

Best of luck!

September 2014 Health Calendar

How has your September been?  We hope everyone reading this enjoyed a beautiful month.  As it draws to a close, we will have a look at health issues that were highlighted this month. 

For those with health troubles, we wish you all the best as you circumnavigate the path back to good health.  If you are aware of health problems, you can prepare yourself to help yourself or a loved one.

Here are the links to the health issues that were highlighted this September.

Albinism Awareness Month--To learn more about this skin, hair, and eye pigment disorder, we refer you to the Wikipedia article:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albinism where you will find links and a few photos.  This is the link to the Facebook page of the National Disabled Albino Nepal Non-Profit Organization:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Disabled-Albino-NEPAL/396483723783091?sk=info where you will find an e-mail address and phone numbers for more information if you are interested.

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukemia Awareness Month--This actually spans from August 15 - October 15.  To learn about bone marrow, you can read here:  http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/diagnosing-cancer/tests-and-procedures/donating-bone-marrow.  Click on this link to find out about how this much needed process is coming about in Nepal:  http://binayfoundation.org/project-bmtcenter/  To read about leukemia survivors in Nepal, you can read this blog:  http://nepal-gitabaral.blogspot.com/  (Thank you Gita Baral for your good job.)

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month--Not many things are more difficult to deal with than childhood cancer.  To learn more about this devastating disease, click here:  http://www.childrenscancer.org/main/latest/september_is_childhood_cancer_awareness_month/.

Eye Care Awareness Month--This actually spans from September 22 - October 19.)  Aren't you glad you are able to read this?  If you're having trouble with your eyes, don't put off getting an eye exam.  You'll never forgive yourself if you wait too long!  Here is a website loaded with eye care information:  http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/.

Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month--What do you know about muscular dystrophy?  If you want to increase your knowledge, here are two worthwhile websites to check out:  http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/muscular_dystrophy.html#cat  and  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/musculardystrophy.html.

National Heart Awareness Month--The Mayo Clinic website has lots of information about hearth disease.  If you'd like to update yourself, here is the link:  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/basics/definition/con-20034056.  One thing you should never fool around with or take for granted is your heart. 

National Month of Deaf People--Come in for a checkup if you feel that your ears are not picking up what they used to.  Did you know there was an organization for the deaf right here in Nepal?  Here is some information:  https://sites.google.com/site/crowdsourcingnepal/hot-news-1/national-association-of-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-nepal.

Oral Health Month--webmed.com has a great page on oral heath, including a quiz called, "What lives in your mouth?"  Click here to test you oral health knowledge and improve your oral health knowledge:  http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/.

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES!

Have a nice (and healthy!) day!

  

Postpartum Hemorrhage

As August, Women's Health Month, comes to a close, we will bring to your attention PPH, or postpartum hemorrhage, an all too frequent and dangerous problem after the happy moment of bringing a precious child into the world.  In fact, it is the leading cause of maternal mortality.  According to k4health.org, in the developing world, 14 million women experience PPH.  That equals 26 women each minute!  (To read the full article, click here.)

This article, from babycenter.com, explains PPH.

This is why it's so very important to give birth at a hospital, and also to have regular checkups during pregnancy as well. 

An article on the website developmentprogress.org about maternal health in Nepal written by a young Nepali mother, who is a public health researcher, is very interesting.  You can read it here.

The following website explains the importance of visiting your doctor during pregnancy:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/medical_care/medical_care_pregnancy.html

You will also find the following links there:  (You must go to the website to click these links.)

• Prenatal Tests: First Trimester
• Prenatal Tests: Second Trimester
• Prenatal Tests: Third Trimester
• Pregnancy & Newborn Center
• Rh Incompatibility
• Pregnancy Precautions: FAQs
• A Week-by-Week Pregnancy Calendar
• Staying Healthy During Pregnancy
• What Is the Multiple Marker Test?
• A Guide for First-Time Parents
• 10 Things That Might Surprise You About Being Pregnant

Recently, Dr. Binod Arial, OB/GYN, gave a speech to the doctors
on the topic of postpartum hemorrhage. 

In attendance, among the doctors, were our other two OB/GYNs
Dr. Vidya Pradhananga and Dr. Lavona Pilli.

We are happy to have three obstetrician/gynecologists for you to choose from.
(You don't need to wait for a problem to come in for a consultation.
They are ready to answer any questions you may have at any time.)

Many of our doctors were able to attend the presentation.

Thank you Dr. Binod!

We also thank our dedicated OB nurses.  Here are just a few of them.

Please help your pregnant relatives and friends to eat a nutritionally sound diet
while pregnant and nursing.

This photo from http://www.skinsheen.com/skin-recommended-diet-during-pregnancy-277.aspx is from a page that give nutrition information for the expectant mother.

Have a nice day, and stay healthy!

We end with a message for our pregnant friends:

(Photo Credit:  congratulationsto.com)

August 2014 Health Calendar

Scheer Memorial Hospital wishes everyone a happy and healthy August 2014!

Health awareness concerns for this month include
Bone Marrow Donation and Leukemia Awareness Month

(which is actually from August 15 to October 15).

Do you know much about leukemia?

There is no single known cause for leukemia.  To read more about it,
we direct you to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukemia
and/or http://www.webmd.com/cancer/understanding-leukemia-basics.

To read about the Bone Marrow Transplant Project in Nepal,
check out the Binaya Foundation's website:
http://binayfoundation.org/project-bmtcenter/

and the Global Giving website:
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/build-center-to-treat-blood-cancer-in-nepal/

For any questions, please come in for a consultation.



Polio Awareness Week was from August 4-8, but it's still relevant to
keep updated on this dreadful disease.

Are you up to date?
Read Wikipedia's entry about it for information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliomyelitis

The World Health Organization has declared Nepal polio free, which is excellent,
but we should never lose our vigilance or relax our awareness.
Here is the World Health Organization's report on Nepal:
http://www.who.int/features/2014/polio-nepal/en/

...and Nepali Magazine's article
http://sajhilo.com/nepal-polio-free-nation-declares/





The first week of August was World Breastfeeding Week.



This article gives some information about a healthy diet for breastfeeding mothers.
http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/buzz/3-health-care-tips-for-mothers-who-are-breastfeeding/

Sometimes problems and/or pain are encountered while a new mother is breastfeeding.
If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing any problems in this area,
please come in for a consultation with one of our obstetricians.
Don't suffer in silence.  You are not alone.



August is also Organ Donor Month.




Yes, there is an organ donor organization in Nepal, called
The Human Organ Transplant Center.
For more information, visit their website:
http://hotc.org.np/

This article explains some of the problems Nepal is having right now with this issue:
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Organ+donors+a+rare+breed+still&NewsID=358820



Another topic for August health awareness is
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month.





Have you had your children's (or your own for that matter) eyes checked out lately?
Don't delay if you haven't.  Come on in for an appointment.



Another health problem to be aware of in August is Psoriasis.
Yes, it's also Psoriasis Awareness Month.

This article from The Himalayan Times explains this chronic skin condition:
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Psoriasis%3A++Precaution+is+the+only+cure&NewsID=383012

Even though it's a few years old, this essay explains the negative impact of
psoriasis on patients with this condition in Nepal:
http://www.ukessays.com/essays/health-and-social-care/psoriasis-in-nepal-health-and-social-care-essay.php





It's also Immunization Awareness Month.
Do you know which diseases are common in Nepal?
Read this post to find out:
http://www.nepalinternationalclinic.com/category/common-diseases/

and this one too:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-4-select-destinations/nepal
(cdc is Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)



Stay safe and come in for a consultation to review which immunization
you and your family need to update yourselves with.

Again, we wish all of our friends and supporters a lovely and healthy life.

However, remember if you find yourself or a loved one having a health problem,

we are here and ready to give help!

Take care and God bless!