Located in the lower foothills of the Everest area in , Deusa, Solukhumbu is a rural village that covers 15 square miles and is a 4-5 day trek from the roadhead at Jiri. Closed due to Maoist activity but reopened in May 2008, the Deusa healthpost represents the sole source of healthcare advice, basic treatment, and point of referral to the nearest hospital in Phaplu, a day’s walk away. Often this hospital will refer patients on to Kathmandu, requiring a 30 minute flight.

The healthpost is currently being run by two nurses, one of whom is also a qualified midwife. There is no electricity and diagnostic equipment is absent bar the baby scales pictured. Thankfully, a selection of basic medications and dressings are now provided each month by HexN, a UK charity. 

We, Claire Kilbride and Kate Drinkwater, are both 4th year medical students. During August of this year, we are arranging to spend approximately 4 weeks in Nepal, working in Deusa with the hope of offering some help in the healthpost in the form of basic antenatal care, introducing a sustainable handwashing scheme, providing some much needed equipment and auditing current medications amongst other activities.

Kim Walker (Manchester Universitygraduate) and Clare Puddifoot (Edinburgh University PhD student) are arranging to visit Deusa to provide health education and also to teach English atDeusaSecondary School.