We visit remote sub-Himalayan villages in Darjeeling or Kalimpong District, Sikkim and Dooars to provide Primary Health Care. Part of our target group are for instance Sherpas, Lepchas, Bhutia’s, Tamangs, Rai or tribal people in Doars.
▷ Primary Health Care Training
▷ Primary Health Care Facility in Villages
▷ Relief Work in Disaster Areas
Primary Health Care Facility
In villages lacking medical facilities we provide Primary Health Care at a low cost. We use basic high-quality medication.
We want to help those who for some reason do not receive adequate medical care. We feel this is not right. These people live far from towns and cities. Besides, the roads are often rough with little jeep or bus services. Traveling to a hospital takes time, effort and a lot of money. Sometimes it may even be dangerous. Unfortunately, as a result, many people in those remote areas die of treatable diseases.
Therefore, our team visits them instead.
We load our jeep with medicines and thus enable people to have access to health care. They will actually be able to prevent and deal with many health issues themselves provided that they have the knowledge. Our work includes:
- Monitoring blood pressure, diabetes and the growth of children.
- The follow-up treatment of tuberculosis.
- First Aid.
- Wound care.
- The assessment and treatment of less complicated physical problems, such as skin infections, diarrhea, colds, coughs, joint pains, fevers, vitamin deficiencies, ear infections, etc.
- The referral to medical doctors, hospitals or laboratories.
- Health education and counsel.
- Supervising and advising caregivers.
- Follow-up programs and visits.
- Prenatal care.
- Occasional vaccination programs.
Primary Health Care Facilities In Villages
Basic Training in Primary Health Care
We endeavor to carry out Primary Health Care in a sustainable way. Therefore, we impart basic health care skills to people who live or work in villages. In addition, we help them to set up self- sufficient health facilities. We aim to train health workers who will be able to pass on knowledge.
The Primary Health Care course includes a theoretical phase, which takes 8-10 weeks, and an internship, which takes at least a year. If students have completed the course, they can start working as front-line health workers. Some will be able to teach the course themselves.
We supervise the graduates as they are preparing to set up primary health care facilities in their own communities. A small health care center stores basic medicines, wound care material and some instruments. Furthermore, a simple cupboard, some tables and chairs will do.
Read more about our the health care course. You can apply now to join our program!
Micro Credit Projects
Besides carrying out Primary Health Care projects Ropheka Foundation also grants micro-credits.
By providing small loans, we offer the villagers the opportunity to rebuild their own lives. With these loans they buy for instance small chickens, piglets, calves and seedlings. After a while they generate income by selling the eggs, the vegetables, the adult animals or their young offspring.
The credit is repaid with the profit and then passed on to the next group. With the profit they make, some people buy life stock while others are able to start a small business.
Relief Work During Natural Disasters
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21, Ropheka Foundation distributed food and supplies to hundreds of people in need.
We also helped people affected by natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods in West Bengal, Assam and Bihar. We would like to continue this kind of work whenever and wherever necessary.
Our Relief Work
For up-to-date information about our activities: