November 17, 2022
Environmental Health Risks in the Philippines
In May 2015, two earthquakes struck Nepal killing an estimated 8,000 people and destroying the country’s infrastructure
80% of the country's health facilities were damaged, leaving whole communities cut off from care
In response to the deadly earthquakes, our team set up clinics near the villages of Golche and Sunkhani in the Sindhupalchok district – a remote region that was one of the hardest hit in the quakes.
In the immediate aftermath, Doctors of the World medical teams evaluated 2,000 people and provided basic healthcare to thousands in the area.
8,000
People killed
80%
Of health facilities destroyed
500,000
Displaced
Our assessment teams also worked in 6 other remote villages across Sindhupalchok (Tangpatango, Bolde, Gumbatang, Lidi, Sunchagan, and Pongapur) to respond to the communities’ needs. Many of these villages were completely cut off from the main emergency response efforts as a result of impassable roads, landslides and collapsed bridges.
In addition, we began campaigning online at home in the US to raise funds for the survivors of the earthquakes. Our campaign #AllForNepal, narrated by Serap – a Nepali Sherpa, highlighted how the Sherpa people of Nepal have guided, protected and saved people from all over the world on the peaks of the Himalayas. In return, we asked our community to help the people of Nepal when they needed it the most.
Our teams have been present in Nepal since 2007
In addition to our emergency response work, Doctors of the World has been on the ground in Nepal since 2007, with a focus on increasing access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for Nepali women.
Our teams aim to ensure quality health services are available at a community level and to reduce factors contributing to maternal and neonatal mortality. We also provide educational workshops on the prevention and management of pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care.