Tistung Health Post Serves as a Model Health Facility

Tistung VDC of Makwanpur district was one of the hardest hit VDCs from earthquake where many of the local health facilities were destroyed and communities were unable to access basic health services. The Health Post building which was then a lifesaving center for the local people, had become a threat for both service providers and receivers.

Community Self Initiative
The initial idea of reconstructing a Health Post building came about in a visit for situational analysis of suicide cases by a team of BNMT Nepal at Tistung. The community people had lamented about the inadequate health services and poor infrastructure of the Health Post. Thus, the DPHO informed and directed BNMT Nepal regarding the need of a well-resourced Health Post in the VDC.  Following a series of positive consultations with the community people, BNMT Nepal in coordination with District Public Health Office, Makwanpur, Ministry of Health and funds from Americares, supported to reconstruct the Health Post and resume health service delivery to benefit the locals. Upon knowing that a Health Post was being constructed in their area, the local people united themselves, formed a committee and provided a land of two ropanies with their big heart.

However, the topography of the land to build the Health Post was not an easy task. It was a hillside. But, proving the proverb ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’, the highly committed and motivated local people jointly collected funds, dug the land, labeled it properly and made a road way of approximately 200 meters up to the Health Post valuing approximately NRS 8 lakhs.

Mr. Jetha Bhim Bahadur Gole, a local resident near the Health Post said, “We are very happy that a New Health Post has been constructed here in Tistung. It is made possible with energy of local people, HFOMC, BNMT Nepal, Americares and Ministry of Health. There was no enough land to make a Health Post. The community together arranged a land at the hill side. Also, to label the land properly, [local] people raised money from transportation fee collected from ambulance services as well as from money donated by local people. A road way is also made from Health Post to the Highway. The Health Post is unique in its own style. We are proud that BNMT Nepal has not only constructed the building, but also provided us with the necessary medical equipment for efficient delivery of health services.”

BNMT Nepal, with the help of local workers, constructed a pre-fabricated Type-I Health Post building at a cost of NRS 69 Lakhs which is resistant to seismic risks. Within no time the hill side accommodated a yellow colored building with fully equipped health services amidst the greenery of Tistung.

Quality of Services
The HFOMC members along with the community people requested for health service strengthening as the old Health Post functioned in a school premise with small space and inadequate medical equipment.  Many health services such as OPD, Family Planning, ANC/PNC were provided from the same room. The delivery room had no hand washing basins or IV stand. Due to lack of privacy in the room, many clients returned to their home without getting any services. However, the new Health Post building has 12 rooms with separate room for OPD services, Delivery services, ANC/PNC, Counseling, Waiting room, and Store.

Sujana Bal, a resident of Tistung-1 walked for one hour to reach Tistung Health Post to deliver her baby in the New Health Post last December. Sujana recalls: “The new Health Post was better in every way. I had no fear that the building might collapse anytime. It was spacious; I could walk around easily in the hospital premise before my delivery. It helped me for the easy delivery. Also, there were sufficient lights, warmth and cleanliness inside the room unlike in the previous Health Post. The toilet was inside the Health Post building which made me very comfortable to use even at night.”

BNMT Nepal also supported with medical equipment such as delivery bed, BP instrument, stretcher, surgical drums, IV stand, infection prevention equipment to name a few. There is a well-constructed placenta pit in the premise of the building as a method of infection prevention.

The community initiation for constructing the Health Post has been a crucial lesson learnt in the project. As many as seven thousand people will be benefitted from the health care services.  The building was constructed in accordance to the guidelines of Ministry of Health and was handed over to the Health Facility Operation and Management Committee through District Public Health Office, Central Regional Health Directorate and Ministry of Health on 24th November 2016.
January 2017