Kathmandu,
Nepal
Hi everyone, I am Prajwal Bhandari, Director of the Health Care Association of Nepal and a medical student. Through my community work, I have realized the significant gap in awareness and screening programs for COPD in Nepal. Factors such as indoor air pollution, forest fires, and smoking predispose many people to COPD. However, few awareness and screening campaigns exist in Nepal, leaving many individuals undiagnosed and untreated, especially in rural areas where access to diagnostic and management care is limited.
Deeply moved by the current COPD situation in Nepal, I founded the Health Care Association of Nepal to focus on the sustainable and integrated management of COPD. Our goal is to conduct community-based awareness and screening campaigns by empowering and training medical and public health students as Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Awareness Youth Leaders. These youth leaders will champion COPD awareness and advocacy in their communities.
Key Components of Our Project:
- Awareness and Education:
- Implement educational programs to raise awareness about the risks associated with biomass fuel use, air pollution, and tobacco consumption.
- Promote campaigns encouraging the proper use of Metered-Dose Inhalers (MDIs) for effective COPD management.
- School health projects, community-based initiatives, and social media campaigns focused on COPD awareness.
- Screening Camps:
- Conduct COPD screening camps in various communities.
- Training:
- Provide training to Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) and healthcare providers (HCPs) on COPD diagnosis and care.
- Clean Cooking Initiatives:
- Introduce and promote clean, efficient cooking technologies to reduce household air pollution.
- Provide subsidies or incentives to encourage the adoption of cleaner cooking methods.
- Healthcare Infrastructure Enhancement:
- Strengthen healthcare facilities for early detection and management of COPD.
- Ensure the availability and accessibility of essential medications, especially MDIs, for COPD patients.
- Provide specialized training for healthcare professionals involved in COPD prevention and management.
- Youth Campaigns:
- Initiate youth campaigns in collaboration with WHO-Nepal to promote healthy practices, regular exercise, and awareness of prevalent NCDs such as COPD, diabetes, and hypertension.
- Mentor 1,000 NCD leaders to champion COPD awareness and preventive measures within their communities.
- Research and Policy Advocacy:
- Advocate for policies that promote clean energy alternatives and reduce the use of biomass fuels.
- Collaborate with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to integrate COPD management into existing healthcare frameworks.
- Encourage afforestation campaigns as part of the "Clean Air, Healthy Lungs" initiative.
- Advocate for COPD to be prioritized as a public health concern through research and policy initiatives.
As a COPD Foundation Captain, I will spread COPD awareness in my community through youth leadership, participate in advocacy programs, initiate COPD patient advocacy networks in Nepal, and promote environmental initiatives to reduce indoor air pollution.
My favorite inspirational quote is, "Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most" - Buddha.
Join us in making a positive impact on the lives of people living with COPD in Nepal. (info@hcan.org.np)