Local doctor donates time and skills to help in Nepal

A SOUTHSIDE doctor with extensive overseas experience in pae- diatrics and neonatology has flown to earthquake stricken Nepal where he’s now working as a volunteer with international development organisation, VSO Ireland.

Dr Niall Conroy, from Kilnamanagh, is now with a team of paediatricians, obstetricians and anaesthetists responding to the major humanitarian needs of the local population.

“When I saw those harrowing scenes on the news coming from Nepal, I knew I had to do something so I immediately got in touch with VSO,

? said Dr Conroy.

The former Tallaght Hospital doctor is based in Ramechhap, to the east of Kathmandu. This area was the epicentre of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in late April.

It has been estimated by UNICEF that over 1.7 million Nepalese children are living in the worst affected areas such as Ramechhap.

Nepal’s neonatal mortality rate of 24/1,000 live births (WHO, 2012) is eight times that of Ireland and the series of devastating earthquakes have put the already fragile maternal and children’s healthcare system in jeopardy

Following the earthquake, entire communities have been damaged. Local public services, especially health for women and children, have been badly affected.

A 37-year-old public health and paediatric doctor, Dr Conroy previously spent 12 months as a VSO in Sierra Leone, training local doctors, nurses and community health workers in basic neonatal care in Bo Government Hospital prior to the outbreak of Ebola.

Speaking in advance of his departure to Nepal, Dr Conroy, said:

“This will be a very challenging placement for me. The local health services have been turned upside down by the earthquake.

“The immediate task will be to restart basic services for sick babies and children and to move to a situation where we can build lasting progress through the establishment of Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

“My time in Sierra Leone with VSO has given me a wealth of experience that means I will be able to hit the ground running in Nepal. A lack of resources and equipment won’t be anything new to me and I am looking forward to working with my VSO colleagues to save lives and start rebuilding this wonderful country.

?

VSO Ireland Executive Director, Megan Munsell, said its volunteers have worked in Nepal for over 50 years.

“We are very committed to the local communities we have been working with during that time,

? she said.

“The recent earthquake shocked us all, and it challenged us to come up with new ways to support these communities.

“By utilising our core skills as well as those of our committed volunteer network, we are able to respond to the emergency in Nepal without deviating from our core mission of sustainable development.

“As an organisation it is vital that we constantly look at new and innovative ways of supporting the communities in which we work, especially in times of great difficulty.

?

VSO Ireland is an international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight both the causes and effects of poverty. Operating in 23 African and Asian countries, VSO volunteers share their skills and build the capacity of local health, education and community development professionals.

VSO is currently recruiting doctors, nurses, teachers, school principals, social and community development managers to volunteer in late 2015 and early 2016 on long-term placements.