Siddhi Memorial Hospital
PERSONAL DETAILS
| Name | Kristina Martinson |
ELECTIVE DETAILS
| Country | Nepal | City | Bhaktapur |
| Setting | Developing | ||
| Local languages spoken | Various Nepalese dialects | ||
| Dates of elective | January 2008 | ||
| Year level during elective | 5 | Expected level of knowledge | Basic paediatrics, 5th year level is fine |
DETAILS OF INSTITUTION
| Name | Siddhi Memorial Hospital | Population served | Women and children of the town and surrounding rural areas. Often a poor population as the hospital is charitable. |
| Size | 7 doctors (2 senior, 5 RMOs, previously one paediatrician too), 14 paediatric in-patient beds | ||
| Departments/specialties available | Paediatrics (in-patient and out-patient) Gynaecology (out-patient) Immunisation Family Planning Paediatric A & E Community outreach programs in HIV/AIDS |
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| Further description | Siddhi Memorial Hospital provides a paediatric out-patient clinic for members of the community. It runs 6 days a week and sees many common paediatric conditions. There is a 24 hour A & E service and a 14 bed paediatric ward. The site also offers gynaecological outpatient care, immunisation and family planning. Attached is the Senior Citizens’ facility which provides residential care to older members of the community as well as day-care services. The hospital also runs out-reach programs in HIV and AIDS to the surrounding community. | ||
| Student responsibilities | Attendance at ward rounds and paediatric out-patient department. Everyone is very laid back and you make what you want of the placement. | ||
| Teaching availability | Doctors are Nepalese but are all overseas trained. They all speak English well. The 2 senior doctors are very willing to teach especially. | ||
| Elective contact | Shyam Dhaubhaudel (Hospital Director) email: smh@healthnet.org.np or see their website http://www.smf.org.np | ||
| Application process | Email Shyam with your details | ||
| Donations brought/grants | We were asked to pay $17 AUD per day each which was a donation to their hospital fund. It covered full accommodation and meals during our stay. | ||
TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, FOOD, LEISURE AND EXPECTED COSTS
| Accommodation options | Accommodation and meals in their senior citizens complex. | AUD$17perday |
| Accommodation details | ||
| Travel to location (including necessary documentation) | Thai Air via Bangkok to Kathmandu Visas for Nepal |
AUD$2100 USD$30 |
| Transport within location | The hospital staff can transport to and from airport | |
| Food allowances | Included in board, but meals at the town are cheap | Less than AUD$5/meal |
| Social activities | Walks around the town, can do weekend trips to various areas. Internet cafes available in Bhaktapur (approx 40c an hour), Museums, Shops, Temples. Close to Kathmandu (15km) also easy to organise trekking, Chitwan. National Park etc. |
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| Recommended vaccinations | Typhoid/Hepatitis A, Meningococcal, Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Tetanus | AUD$200 |
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
| The good | Lots of opportunities to practice physical examinations. Many patients are neonates so can do neonatal checks etc. if you want to as this does not happen formally at birth. Doctors are very laid back and willing to teach. Kids present at later stage of illness and often of greater severity so you see clinical signs that you may not always see in Adelaide. Only expected to be at the hospital 5 days a week 9.30 til 2.30pm! |
| The bad | Due to the language barrier, usually have to sit in with doctors in the outpatient department rather than see your own patients, which means it is not particularly hands-on. Bhaktapur is a small town, not much to do there after 5pm when all the tourists leave, no real night life. |
| Further descriptions, comments or advice | Seeing how a country’s infrastructure impacts medicine. Developing world medicine with an emphasis on clinical diagnosis rather than investigations. The hospital recently received funding to build a paediatric theatre, so surgical patients may increase in the future. Siddhi Memorial relies solely on donations so they are very happy to have elective students. |
| For more information | www.smf.org.np |
| Recommended rating (out of 5) | 4 |
PERSONAL DETAILS
| Name | Shannon Harris |
ELECTIVE DETAILS
| Country | Nepal | City | Bhaktapur |
| Setting | Rural, developing | ||
| Local languages spoken | Newari/Nepali | ||
| Dates of elective | January 2008 | ||
| Year level during elective | 5 | Expected level of knowledge | Paediatrics knowledge is helpful. |
DETAILS OF INSTITUTION
| Name | Siddhi Memorial Hospital (charity hospital) | Population served | ? the town of Bhaktapur and surrounding areas! |
| Size | 16 beds, 7 doctors, 10 nurses | ||
| Departments/specialties available | In-patient beds (16) and outpatient clinic every day (Sunday-Friday) Mainly paediatric services, some gynaecology. |
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| Further description | |||
| Student responsibilities | Mainly observation, participation in ward rounds and outpatient department. | ||
| Teaching availability | Great doctors, well qualified, all with very good English. | ||
| Elective contact | Shyam Dhaubhaudel (Hospital Director) email: smh@healthnet.org.np or see their website http://www.smf.org.np | ||
| Application process | |||
| Donations brought/grants | About AUD$17/day – includes accommodation and food. Donations of gloves or medical equipment would be appreciated. |
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TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, FOOD, LEISURE AND EXPECTED COSTS
| Accommodation options | At the hospital, in the nursing home. | AUD$17/day |
| Accommodation details | ||
| Travel to location (including necessary documentation) | Flight to Kathmandu, hospital van will bring you to Bhaktapur. Buy Nepal visa at airport. |
AUD$2500 About AUD$30 |
| Transport within location | Walking, bus, taxi | AUD$2 |
| Food allowances | Included with accommodation, eating in the town is cheap. | AUD$2-5 |
| Social activities | Visit town of Bhaktapur, many nearby temples, visit Nagarkot for sunrise. | |
| Recommended vaccinations | ADT, hepatitis A, meningococcal, malaria prophylaxis not usually needed at high altitudes. |
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
| The good | Great cultural experience, great teaching, good accommodation and fed well.
Everyone was very friendly and welcoming, learnt a lot about a different health system/health issues. |
| The bad | Not very hands-on, cold showers! |
| Further descriptions, comments or advice | A charity hospital providing a quality low-cost service to many poor people. Medically very interesting with many fascinating third world diseases. |
| For more information | www.smf.org.np |
