World Kidney Day 2019-Nepal
Physicians for Social Responsibility Nepal-Student Chapter (PSRN-SC) has been conducting various activities for public awareness, world peace, research and development of leadership skills in the youths since its establishment in 1995. As a part of its annual schedule for 2019, PSRN-SC organized the observation of World Kidney Day 2019 with the help of various programmes described below.
Observing World Kidney Day 2019 was necessary because the Nepali general public have little knowledge about kidney disease of any kind. To complicate the issue, frauds have been operating facilities in many parts of Nepal claiming that they can reverse the course of Chronic Kidney Disease. The case finding and management of Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Kidney Injury had been improving every year, but the lack of knowledge in general public created a void upon which the frauds are creating empire. The questions that the public have in the mind have to be answered to handle the issue in time.
The initiative approach for the programme was the selection of coordinator and assistant coordinators along with an organizing team on the basis of the plan of action that they came up with. For financial support and professional guidance, we sought the Department of Nephrology and Transplant Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH). The collaborative synergism hence uplifted the awareness campaign to the next level, for which we are filled with enormous gratitude to the Head of the Department, Prof Dr. Divya Singh Shah. We are also indebted to Dr. Milan Gaihre, President of the Free Students’ Union, Maharajgunj Medical Campus for acting as a supervisor of the programme and Mr. Kamal Ranabhat, member,ISN. The activities of the day are listed below.
Detail description:
Welcoming the Right Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal:
The Right Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal, Khadga Prasad Oli, inaugurated the programme. The members of PSRN-SC welcomed him with enormous enthusiasm. The Prime Minister himself being a patient of chronic kidney disease added a greater value to the inauguration ceremony. The Prime Minister expressed his opinions regarding kidney disease and also briefly participated in the Walkathon as an encouragement to our volunteers.
The walkathon began from TUTH premises and headed up to Bansbari and then returning to TUTH with placards containing information regarding preventable approaches for kidney related diseases.
Awareness Stalls (and flash quiz)
Two awareness stalls were set up, one in TUTH premises and another in Hanumandhoka Durbar Square. Each stall consisted of chart papers, pamphlets and posters regarding kidney diseases, their symptoms and preventive measures. The volunteers participated actively in explaining the public about the contents of the awareness materials displayed in the programme.
A flash quiz regarding kidney health was conducted and winners were awarded with toffees and chocolates. The quiz improved the number of visitors to our stalls.
Also, the nutritionists and dieticians displayed the food and fluids related to kidney health in the stall.
Flash mob
A flash mob, involving 20 participants, was conducted around the awareness stalls.
Drama
A twenty minute-long drama based on kidney and its related health issues including the topics such as kidney trafficking, overuse of over-the-counter drugs, etc was performed by the artists in the TUTH premises among a huge number of spectators.
Thus, the above activities were conducted and World Kidney Day 2019 was observed with enormous enthusiasm from the members of PSRN-SC which comprises of students of all the faculties studying in Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine.
News link at ISN:
https://www.worldkidneyday.org/event/world-kidney-day-2019-nepal/?fbclid=IwAR1V_r029rsVbpfHJBj3mNy7oeJ1Olf-y8k5ei3YgvwQdJMK1W6h5saWRU0
Sincerely
Kamal Ranabhat, ISN member
