One of the clinic's first patients.

Chisang Clinic officially opened on April 13. Within two weeks more than 200 patients were seen! Also, locals have already donated sand, bricks and their time to do the groundwork for the clinic extension that will increase capacity for providing education, screenings and treatment.

The overall goal of the clinic is to promote women’s health through the provision of maternity and obstetrics care, including antenatal, natal, and postnatal care and monthly Well Women Clinics. Chisang Clinic also strives to improve the health of children through established Well Child Clinics and monthly Immunization Clinics.

Additionally, use of the facility is provided to other local and international NGOs for special outreach programs such as eye and dental clinics.  Beyond acute clinical care, the clinic promotes community health through public health and disease prevention services designed to address local problems ranging from sexually transmitted infections and HIV, helicobacter pylori (bacteria in the stomach lining that can cause serious health problems), diarrhea, and maternal and child health.

Check out our updated photo gallery on our Program page for Chisang Clinic, or go to our Facebook page and click on Photos/Clinic Pics!

 April 30 update from Dr. Briana Cranmer of Village Volunteers:

Dr. Briana Cranmer from Village Volunteers.

A jumble of Nepali voices dance through the darkness. There is nervous tension in the air. “Ke boyo? What happened?” At the center of a crowd stands a mother tightly grasping the hand of her frightened son.  Despite her calm demeanor there is a sense of urgency in her eyes. Closer inspection reveals dried blood spattered across their hands. The mother slowly moves her thumb to reveal an open wound at the base of her son’s ring finger. Her son sliced his hand on a piece of sharp tin 30 minutes ago. We are the closest medical center for 80 km and the only place available at 7 o’clock at night. “Kripaya timi sahayog garna sakchau? Can you please help?”

Soap and water, a little lidocaine, and four stitches later the boy whispers, “Malai sutna man lagyo,” he is ready for bed. With a payment of 130 rupees ($1.75 USD) the audience disperses and clinic life settles back into the rhythm of the village.

This patient is only a small representation of the many acutely and chronically ill that the Chisang Clinic is able to care for.  The ease and speed with which the clinic Director Debendra Karki and Children’s Medical Aid Foundation Director Carol Vernal have established the Chisang Clinic reflects the strength of their determination and their commitment to the Bhawanee community. For a medical professional this is the essence of medicine. Where you use flashlights because the electricity won’t come until 8:00 pm; where water is hand-pumped from the ground because plumbing is questionable; and where tools are sterilized with boiled water because autoclaves are unavailable. Where you are forced to rely on your stethoscope and ears because X-rays and ECGs cost precious time and money; where you learn to trust your instincts because specialists are not a phone call away; where you hone your physical exam skills because lab tests are not readily available; and where appropriate patient management may mean the difference between a life-threatening ruptured appendicitis and a life-saving appendectomy. I am forever changed by this experience and thankful to be a part of such an impressive endeavor.

March 22 update from Chisang Clinic Director Debendra Karki:

The construction of the clinic building is all done – despite some difficulties with finding adequate labor. We are in an area of the country where young people have travelled to the Gulf States or Malaysia for employment opportunities. The clinic has to be specially equipped to deal with mothers and grandmothers bringing their children to the clinic, as few male members of the family remain in their communities. We have to specialize in reaching out to women and children of families that have no male members left back at the villages.

The downstairs Outpatient Unit is partitioned into two examination rooms and a waiting area for 8-10 patients. Each examination room will have its own examination bed (3 feet high) with lots of storage space on the bottom, a chair and desk for the healthcare provider and one chair and a stool for the patient and a family member. We have space to wash hands for the healthcare provider. We also have a Storeroom and a Nurse’s Room. We are still working on the Treatment Room and the Changing Room.

To accommodate volunteers, guests and interns, we now have one large bedroom with two beds, a smaller bedroom with a bunk bed for two, and a living room with a bed. We have more room downstairs for extra guests.  All guests, volunteers and interns will have their own closet space with keys, a desk and chair with appropriate electrical wiring.  We have a kitchen, toilet and shower facilities, and a large veranda on the second floor of the clinic that faces the east (to be cool all year round as the Monsoon winds blow from the east to the west) with plastic chairs and table.

The clinic’s first intern, Briana, arrived in Kathmandu (from the University of Arizona) in March and will be staying at the clinic for 6-8 weeks. She is being introduced into the community and will be conducting home visits for patients. More interns are expected this year. We have experienced a lot of enthusiasm from the local community, and already have lots of people wanting Briana to do home visits, and to see patients at the clinic. We have identified many older patients that will require home visits as well as pregnant mothers. All follow-ups will be done at the clinic.

Six kiosks, located adjacent to the clinic, have been newly painted and look good. These will provide employment opportunities for locals and revenue to help sustain the clinic.

The clinic garden work has begun and some of the plants will be planted after the first of the Monsoons hit eastern Nepal. It will look really lush in a year’s time as we have a tropical to sub-tropical climate here in the eastern plains of Nepal.

Please click here for Chisang Clinic flyer.

CMAF assists with the development of clinics to meet the basic medical needs of unserved rural populations in Nepal. CMAF Founder and CEO Carol Vernal met Debendra Karki when she was in Nepal in late 2010. Debendra introduced her to his village, Bhawanee, and a small empty clinic that he had built in 2003. The clinic was operated by a Nepalese NGO for five years, providing primarily OB/GYN services.  Political unrest resulted in the clinic closing, and it has been vacant now for more than three years, waiting for someone to adopt it.

Debendra has a PhD in Public Health, and a post graduate degree in Anthropology from Harvard University. He has worked with the World Health Organization and USAid. He is now dedicated to reopening the Chisang Clinic, and will partner with CMAF to achieve that goal.  As partners we can share our energy and experience to provide medical care for thousands of families in Bhawanee and surrounding villages.

You are one of the unsung heroes that truly inspires all of us. I am glad to have connected with you.

 We highly appreciate the work carried out by Children’s Medical Aid Foundation in Nepal. It has helped to save the lives of children in the rural areas. The Foundation joins hands with other organisations working in the medical field. We need the help of Children’s Medical Aid Foundation to reach many poor children in the rural areas, mainly in the hilly regions. We wish all the best for the Foundation’s future undertakings and assure our best support in the days ahead.

Shankar Rai, MD

I met Carol Vernal through a mutual friend in Kathmandu, while she was visiting Nepal and helping many children on her own personal level. She has a medical background, and spent a couple of months with our medical outreach team to help children in remote areas of Nepal receive corrective surgeries for congenital and traumatic deformities (not including cleft lip and palate conditions, which are addressed by other medical programs). Carol was very much liked by all of our team members, which includes nurses, doctors, therapists and coordinators. Since then, she has been coming to Nepal every year to work with us and develop vital partnerships with Nepalese government agencies, NGOs and community groups. She has a thorough understanding of Nepalese cultures, religions, and social/political conditions that can impact our work.

Inspired by the opportunity to continue changing children’s lives, Carol went back to the U.S. and started the Children’s Medical Aid Foundation (CMAF). CMAF helps raise funds for our Corrective Surgery Program, enabling us to reach about 100 children annually who have birth defects. More than 600 children have already received life-changing surgeries through the support of CMAF. Most of these children could not have received these services otherwise.

For years, Children’s Medical Aid Foundation (CMAF) has successfully delivered health care services to women and children in Nepal who would otherwise remain untreated and suffering from pain or disfigurement. It has done this despite the challenges posed by remote locations, poor transportation and infrastructure, limited financial resources, and social disruption within Nepal.

The success of CMAF, despite the hardships and difficulties, speaks to the dedication of Carol Vernal and those with whom she works, and the trust and receptivity of the Nepalese people and health care providers in Nepal.

That there is great need for the kind of services that CMAF provides is without doubt; insuring that the financial and logistical support that is needed to provide services is more tenuous. An NGO such as CMAF provides care that governments cannot or will not provide. The future of CMAF is entirely dependent upon the funding, contributions and generosity of those who recognize the merit and value of easing the suffering of others unable to otherwise afford such care.

It has been a wonderful experience to be able to assist the Children’s Medical Aid Foundation over the course of many years. Through the leadership of Carol Vernal, this foundation has steadily been a healing presence on behalf of the women and children of Nepal. I have worked directly with CMAF to build awareness of CMAF’s mission, both here in Sonoma Valley, California and to the citizens of Nepal. The world is a difficult place at best, but it is only through the efforts of those like the Children’s Medical Foundation that we can create positive change.

Carol Vernal, founder and CEO of Children’s Medical Aid Foundation (CMAF), visited World Dance Santa Barbara on the weekend of March 1, where she danced with World Dancers in classes all weekend and joined a benefit dinner at Fresco in Santa Barbara. Carol spoke to members of World Dance about the people of Nepal and the suffering of the women there.

World Dance presented a check to Carol for $3,000 – raised from the World Dancers’ class fees. In addition, Carol left the Fresco event in Santa Barbara with a check for $650 from owner Jill Broulliard, who donated 10% of her profits from the March 2 benefit dinner to CMAF. The donated funds will sponsor development of a patient exam room at the Chisang Clinic in Bhawanee, to be called the World Dance Patient Exam Room.

“What a weekend – dancing, food and fun” said World Dancer Kari Isaeff. “I was thrilled to have Carol in town to talk to us about the needs of the Nepalese people, and Chisang Clinic.  I feel privileged to be part of a group who care about making a difference in the world.”

“I was so impressed by Carol’s dedication to this remote (at least to us) spot on the map and all that she’s been able to do so far,” said World Dancer Lyndy Belchere. “There’s a lot of love there. Hopefully, with our help, medical aid will continue to improve for these women. It feels so good to be a part of improving their lives. Thank you Carol for so enthusiastically sharing your story with us!  The world needs more, millions more, of you.”

“What an honor to meet such a loving compassionate group of women who truly care about making a difference in the world,” said Vernal. “It was a pleasure to meet and get to know them all. I especially honor Janet’s hard work and dedication in creating World Dance Santa Barbara, and am grateful for their donation to Children’s Medical Aid Foundation.”

There will be special guest speakers and entertainment, including dance and drama presentations. Tickets are just $10, with no charge for children under 10 years of age. Parking is also free. For more information, visit www.janapakur.com.

We need your help to raise funds to purchase the medical equipment and supplies needed to open the Chisang Clinic in Bhawanee, Eastern Nepal. Through GlobalGiving, we have raised more than $7,000 toward our Phase I goal of $18,440 to reopen the clinic. Every dollar you give buys $7 worth of medical equipment and supplies, thanks to generous discounts offered by our partner organizations.

Chisang Clinic remodel will increase service capacity

Please click here to visit our Support page for ways you can help!

Please click on the logo below to support us through Global Giving:

Other Ways to Help Online

You can also raise money for CMAF just by surfing the web or purchasing products online at no extra cost to you! CMAF is registered with the following online search/purchase services. Just type in your search information and select Children’s Medical Aid Foundation as your charity.

• www.goodsearch.com or www.goodshop.com
• www.igive.com
• www.we-care.com

Set up any of these sites as your home page and make it easy to raise funds for CMAF. Every dollar raised can make a difference in the lives of children in Nepal!

Two percent of Nepalese children are born each year with a congenital defect that is easily detectable at birth. This is a higher rate than children born in Western countries. Some contributing factors are poor nutrition, inherited tendencies, absence of pre-natal care, and mineral deficiencies during gestation. For many children, surgical intervention may be their only chance to be freed from the stigma, shame and handicaps associated with a congenital defect. While some organizations focus on the important work of correcting cleft lip and palate defects, CMAF seeks to assist children with other types of birth defects – children that would have no other alternative if CMAF did not assist them. We help locate children in need (often by word-of-mouth), educate families about their options, and work to dispel the fears and beliefs related to the cause of the defects.

CMAF partners with a specially trained Nepalese Mobile Surgical Team, lead by world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Shankar Rai, to treat a broad range of congenital defects. These include syndactylism (webbed fingers), disfiguring moles, polydactyly (supernumerary fingers or toes) and hypospadius (male genito-urinary problems). Surgical reconstruction offers these children with functional and aesthetic benefits, transforming their futures with the hope of a normal childhood and better life. Villagers with post-traumatic injuries such as ulcerated wounds and disfiguring scars are also eligible for surgical treatment. Services are provided to those in need at no charge, regardless of caste, religion, or political beliefs.

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, with many Nepalese children living in remote villages where medical treatment is unavailable due to geographic restraints, poverty, lack of medical supplies and/or absence of trained personnel. CMAF addresses these barriers by providing support for the Nepalese Mobile Surgical Team; soliciting, collecting and delivering needed medical supplies; and assisting with post-operative services such as physical therapy, dressing changes, and support for families.

When completed, this hospital will provide the following services:

• Reconstructive surgery for children with congenital defects
• Surgical repair of post burn contractures
• Pediatric Services
• Outpatient Department
• OB/GYN Services
• Emergency Room/Trauma Center for traffic accident victims

The Itahari Hospital Project is truly a collaborative endeavor. The local Itahari community has embraced the project and contributed funds to purchase the building site. The Itahari Hospital Construction Committee meets regularly in Nepal with representatives from the local Pakali Village Development Committee, phect-NEPAL and Nepalese Rotary Clubs. Rotary Clubs in Nepal and the U.S. work together to provide funding support as well as assistance in the selection and procurement of building supplies.

Carol was a nurse and worked in the medical industry for many years, and understands the deep and lasting impacts of working with indigent populations, especially in other parts of the world – like far-away Nepal.

“Nurses who want to get involved can do so many ways. Volunteers can work with CMAF mobile medical teams and as couriers to deliver supplies to Nepal. Stateside they can collect sutures and wound dressing materials for donations and advocate and inform about the quality of medical care in Nepal. By helping in any way, Vernal says that nurses learn about how cultural and spiritual beliefs impact Nepal’s healthcare and also see both the differences and similarities between Western and Eastern medicine. This fall CMAF is hosting a trip to Nepal open to the medical field where those attending can receive CEUs.

“Working to enhance the lives of Nepalese villages through increased access to healthcare has added significance and purpose to my life,” Vernal said. “Perhaps it can do the same for others.”

Click here to read the full article online.