The 7th Annual Day of Hospital for Children, Eye, ENT and Rehabilitation Services (CHEERS) was celebrated on 3rd of December, 2019 inside the Hospital premises, Madhyapur Thimi-1, Manahora, Lokanthali Bhaktapur. The annual day of CHEERS coincides with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD). This year’s theme was “The Future is Accessible”.
B.P. Eye Foundation (BPEF), the parent organization of CHEERS, celebrated the day distinctively by acknowledging and appreciating the support and hard work of individuals and organizations which had significant role in the hospital’s journey so far. The hospital has been providing Eye and Ear Nose Throat’s tertiary level care along with rehabilitation services for daily living skills, pre early childhood development classes to the visual and hearing impaired children.
The chairperson of the foundation Dr. Gaurishankar Lal Das welcomed all the guests and invitees to the program. The visually impaired children Ms. Sangeeta Karki & Mr. Bibhas Basnet, inaugurated the program by lighting the traditional Panas lamps and ringing the bell. After the national anthem, the Children with Visual and Hearing Impaired (CWVHI) recited a welcome song.
Executive Director of CHEERS, Dr. Sanjib Kumar Upadhyay then elaborated on the vision, mission, strategy and guiding principles of BPEF & CHEERS and gave an overview on the annual progress of achievements in 2019 (B.S. 2075/2076). Dr. Sanjib K. Upadhyay indicated that in 2019, CHEERS provided its service to 95,552 people from its in hospital services, 18,423 people from its community based out-reach services, and trained 48 Children with blindness and visual impairment (CWVHI) for daily living and life skills from its enabling centre- an unique constituent of CHEERS. Among the service users, nearly half were females and three in ten were children. He also further pointed out that 3,209 surgeries of Eye, Ear Nose and Throat were undertaken within the hospital and via different outreach surgical camps, of which more than one-fourth (27.3%) were done free of charges. Similarly, 121 people were fitted with free hearing aid and 621 people also benefited with free spectacles.
The hospital has served over 600,000 people since starting services from its base hospital and a variety of outreach services. The hospital also has conducted more than 13,000 surgeries of Eye and ENT of which nearly 20% were conducted in outreach clinics and health camps. In its enabling center, 287 CWVHI were enrolled in last 7 years for life-skills and early childhood development training and 188 completed the training and were enrolled at inclusive schools for further education.
The guests at the program distributed the prizes to the winners of staff’s Annual Sports Festival and good performing staff of the hospital.
The Chairperson Emeritus of the Foundation Prof. Dr. Madan Prasad Upadhyay handed token of appreciation to H.E. Mr. Peter Budd, Australian Ambassador to Nepal, for the help of Australia and Australian People in the hospital and foundation’s work in field of health, disability and education.
The ceremony was adorned by Ambassador of Australia to Nepal, H.E. Peter Budd, Gender Activist and Social Wokrer Dr. Aarzu Rana Deuba and various other dignitaries from the field of health, education and disability including the staff of the hospital and Children with Visual and Hearing Impairment (CWVHI) training at the enabling center of the hospital.
The treasurer of the foundation, Mr Rajan Raut felicitated Dr. Sanjib Kumar Upadhyay for his continuous efforts in upbringing the Hospital to the present stage. Dr. Luna Mathema Shrestha thanked all the guests for their gracious presence at the program and staff for their active participation.
