Hospital on Nepalese border desperately needs funding to help disaster relief

06 Nov 2013

Orthopaedic surgeon Professor Gordon MacKay, Cofounder of the Duncan Hospital Charitable Trust, is trying to raise funds for an ambulance to transport patients to the Duncan hospital from remote areas in Nepal, which are currently seriously lacking in aid.

Situated on the main artery to Kathmandu from Bihar, Northern India, the Duncan Hospital has 220 beds and runs clinics in 232 villages, providing care to 5 million southern Nepalese and 6 million patients from Bihar.

Since the earthquake on 25 April, the Duncan has seen increasing numbers of patients with serious injuries, many requiring surgery. It is anticipated that larger volumes of patients will arrive over the coming months as refugees continue to pour across the border seeking food and shelter.

Doctors from the hospital are also providing daily care to around 5000 refugees who have set up camp nearby. People in the camp are living in close conditions in an unsanitary environment and sporadic cases of cholera are already being treated. It is likely that disease in the camp will spread because of the living conditions, in which case staff at the Duncan will become overwhelmed by the number of patients needing treatment. Dr Christo Phillips, an Emergency Medicine specialist volunteering at the Duncan, is writing a blog from the hospital providing regular on the ground updates.

Other doctors from the hospital have gone to Kathmandu to help with relief efforts there and the hospital has sent an ambulance to Nepal in the hope of bringing back more seriously injured patients.

The Duncan has the capacity to care for more critically ill patients; the medical staff and infrastructure are in place, there is an ICU and specialist mother and child care unit. The difficulty so far has been transportation.

"We are sure many share a fondness for the Nepalese people and are looking for ways to help at this tragic time but will not be aware of the work of the Duncan. Any contribution through MyDonate for The Duncan Hospital Charitable Trust will ensure that 100% of funds go directly to provide care in the Duncan." Said Professor MacKay

If you would like to make a donation you can do so here: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/theduncanhospitalcharitabletrust

For more information about the Duncan Hospital you can visit the mackayclinic website charity section: http://www.mackayclinic.co.uk/charity/

Back to all news