Continuing the back-to back success of “Eye Camp” in past two years, a team of 9 Danish opticians and nurses came to Nepal through our premier partner Kipling Travel Denmark to conduct a week long “Free Eye Camp” in three villages of Sidhupalchowk, the hardest hit district in earthquake 2015. The team includes 6 opticians (Ms. Iversen Ane, Mr Nielsen Bjoern, Mr. Dyre Rolf, Ms Roennenfelt Jette, Mr Stegmann Knud Erik and Ms. Honore Jette) and 3 nurses  (Ms. Lindedam Lene Seest, Ms. Malherbe Hanne and Ms. Stegmann  Vibeke Ryberg). The camp was stationed consecutively at Jalbire, Kattike and Aiselukharka for 6 days from 13 November to 18 November.

The Eye Camp was conducted mainly for diagnostic screening and eye examining. The villagers were provided with free glasses and counseling on preventive care concerning eye health. Altogether 1649 patients (1004 females and 645 males) and 600 students were benefited from the camp. At the end of the program, the Danish Team and Explore Himalaya team thanked the local clubs, police and volunteers from beneficiary villages, whose continuous effort made the success of the program possible. The village communities also expressed gratitude to the entire organizer team for the noble service that helped hundreds of villagers to cure and identify many vision related problems. At the end of the program, the Danish team was delighted to see their hard work paid off! After the great success of “Eye Camp” program for three consecutive years, Explore Himalaya looks forward to organizing similar programs in other remote regions of Nepal.

Day 1:

Location: Jalbire, Sindhupalchok (1215m), approx. 84km from Kathmandu.

• Eye Camp location: Guawal Health Post
• Total Population in Jalbire: Around 4500
• Total patients checked: 295 (173 F, 122 M)
• Eye camp time duration: 9 AM- 5 PM

First Day at Jalbire Health Post [In picture: Optician Ane Iversen, (standing), Optician Jette Roennenfelt (sitting) and Explore Himalaya representative Sudeep Thapa (in between)].

Optician Rolf Dyre at Jalbire Health Post

A local lady with glasses after eye check up

Day 2:

Location: Jalbire, Sindhupalchok

• Eye Camp location: Guawal Health Post
• Total patients checked: 276 (198 F, 78 M)
• Eye camp time duration: 9 AM- 1 PM

Optician Jette Roennenfelt on second day in Jalbire

Day 3:

Location: Kattike, Sindhupalchok

• Eye camp Location: Kattike Health Post
• Total population in Kattike: around 2800
• Total Patients checked: 488 (256 F, 232 M)
• Eye camp time duration: 9 AM- 5 PM

Optician Bjoern (in black hat) Nielsen at Kattike Health Post

Villagers standing in a queue for eye check up at Kattike Health Post

Day 4:

Transfer from Kattike to Aiselu Kharka by Bus (around 5 hours’ drive)

Day 5:

Location: Aiselu Kharka, Sindhupalchowk

• Eye camp location: Aiselu Kharka Secondary School
• Total population in Aiselu Kharka: around 4000
• Total Patients checked: 390 (262 F, 128 M) and around 400 school students
• Eye camp time duration: 9 AM- 5 PM

Ms. Vibeke Ryberg Stegmann (Nurse) arranging the glasses before program starts in Aiselu Kharka

Day 6:

Location: Aiselu Kharka, Sindhupalchowk

• Eye camp location: Aiselu Kharka Secondary School
• Total Patients checked: 200 (115 F, 85 M) and around 200 school students
• Eye camp time duration: 9 AM- 1 PM

Students in a queue for eye check up at Aiselu Kharka Secondary School