Bhaktapur, Feb 5:<\/p>\n
Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, today visited Bhaktapur Hospital, where she inspected the hospital’s gynecological ward and acquired information about the services provided.
\nDuring her visit, the Duchess inquired about the health of new mothers and newborn babies, as well as the related treatments and services available at the hospital.
\nShe praised the hospital for its gynecological services.
\nThe Duchess also expressed her concerns about issues concerning women who have survived sexual harassment and violence. She stressed the need of focusing on the management of survivors, their reunification with families, and their social restoration. She recognized the invaluable work of women health volunteers, who contribute to the sector without remuneration.
\nThe Duchess put her queries about the advanced technology and devices used at the hospital for maternity services. Additionally, she visited the hospital’s new building, which was supported by the British government, and the building that had been retrofitted.
\nFollowing the visit, Bagmati Province Health Secretary Kiran Thapa shared that efforts are underway to improve maternity wards in 13 hospitals across the province, focusing on human resources, equipment, and infrastructure.
\nMinistry’s Secretary Dr Sumitra Gautam mentioned that the Bhaktapur Hospital had succeeded in becoming a model Hospital across the country and the Ministry was working systematically to develop and scale up all provincial hospitals.
\nHospital Development Committee’s Chairperson Sashijung Thapa said that the Bhaktapur hospital had been rendering healthcare services not only to the patients of Bhaktapur but also from other parts of the country.
\nHe opined that the patients would get a great deal of respite if the Hospital could well-equip itself with MRI machine, CT Scan, Dialysis machine among others.
\nHospital’s Executive Director Dr Surendra Prasad Bhatta provided a brief overview of the Hospital’s specialized healthcare services including reproductive healthcare services.
\nHe shared the Hospital had been providing health screening and treatment of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and send them to ‘Safe House’ thereafter.
\nExecutive Director Bhatta said that the Hospital also provides about psychological counseling and rehabilitates those survivors.
\nDuchess Sophie, taking cognizance of the Hospital services, also interacted with the patients. Duchess Sophie was accompanied by British Embassy in Nepal’s official Diego Moroso and the Embassy’s Coordinator Deepak Karki among others during the inspection of the Hospital.
\nDuchess Sophie, who arrived Nepal on last Tuesday with her spouse, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward, will be in Nepal until February 9.
\nDuring their visit, the British royal couple is scheduled to visit the British Embassy in Kathmandu, the National Botanical Garden at Godavari, ICIMOD and Pokhara among others.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Visiting Duchess of Edinburgh praises Nepal\u2019s eye care achievements<\/strong><\/p>\n Kathmandu, Feb 5: Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, a member of the British Royal Family and Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), visited Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh\/ Kirtipur Eye Hospital as part of her official trip to Nepal. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bhaktapur, Feb 5: Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, today visited Bhaktapur Hospital, where she inspected the hospital’s gynecological ward and acquired information about the services provided. During her visit, the Duchess…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":103080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2626,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-103079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","category-latest-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nDuring the visit on Wednesday, she highlighted the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh\u2019s contributions to advancing eye health in the region and vital role for eliminating trachoma from Nepal.
\nOn the occasion, the Duchess observed the hospital’s medical services and interacted with patients who have benefitted from life-changing treatments. As a staunch advocate for the prevention of blindness, The Duchess commended Nepal\u2019s remarkable progress in combating preventable vision loss and praised the efforts for integration of eye care services into the country\u2019s primary health care system.
\nSupported by the UK-based Ridley Eye Foundation, Kirtipur Eye Hospital conducts free cataract surgical eye camps in remote, high-altitude regions, making essential eye care accessible to underserved communities. The Duchess praised these efforts and recognized the hospital’s vital role in addressing curable blindness, particularly in challenging environments.
\nProfessor Dr. Chet Raj Pant, Chairperson of Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, expressed his gratitude for The Duchess\u2019s visit and highlighted the longstanding partnership between Nepal and the UK in the field of health.
\nNepal Netra Jyoti Sangh operates one of the most extensive eye care networks in the world. With 28 eye hospitals, 160 eye care centers, and 44 district branches, the organization has provided treatment to over 43.6 million people and performed 5.1 million surgeries since its establishment in 46 years. Its services reach even the most remote areas of Nepal, with permanent centers spanning 67 districts.
\nOn the occasion, Sangh’s General Secretary Bharat Bahadur Chand, Executive Director Dr Shailesh Kumar Mishra, Kirtipur Eye Hospital’s Management Committee Chair Pro Dr Sabina Shrestha and Medical Director Dr Aric Vaidya apprised the British Royal family member about the hospital’s services.
\nThe Duchess\u2019s visit symbolized a shared commitment by all to eliminate preventable blindness and advancing eye health globally, it is said.<\/p>\n