HDCS (Health Development Community Service) is a Nepali Christian organisation, which is committed to delivering quality services in Nepal in three programme areas: health care; community development; education and training.
HDCS emerged out of a shared vision from a group of Nepali christians, including the Director, Tirtha Thapa, who wanted to see the Nepali church mobilised into caring for the myriad needs in the country. As part of this vision, a major goal has involved the transfer, from UMN (United Mission to Nepal) to HDCS, of the mangement of five rural hospitals. Despite a verbal agreement having been made in March 2007, the Ministry of Health and Population have refused to sign four of the hospital agreements, so the future of this part of HDCS’s work remains uncertain.
The main offices of HDCS are in Patan, south of Kathmandu, and were designed and built by Mark Gill. As well as offices for HDCS, the site includes a purpose built centre for ABBS – a programme providing daycare for children with physical diabilities and learning difficulties. This building project was financed by CMS Ireland supporters through Fingerprints of Hope, the CMS Ireland Annual Project in 2006. Mark is currently working on a substantial building extension project for Dadeldhura Hospital, in the Far West Region.
For a number of years, Deborah McMillan, a CMS Ireland Associate from Bangor, worked for HDCS as their Medical Elective Coordinator. The McMillans returned to Ireland in the summer of 2007.
The health care programme is delivered through the Health Care Network – intended to include five rural hospitals, managed by HDCS through an agreement with the Government of Nepal. Presently, an agreement has been signed for only one of the hospitals, in Lamjung, but it is hoped that the other agreements will eventually be approved. These hospitals provide a range of essential services to the rural poor in remote areas of the country. HDCS also facilitate health camps and clinics in some of the most remote parts of the country.
Community development initiatives include ‘UP Lift’, a programme that works with dalits (untouchables) and landless communities in the south of the country and helps to provide basic education, skill development, income generating opportunities and improved water and sanitation supply. Another programme provides day care, in three centres, for over 50 children with physical and mental disabilities and offers counselling and training for parents.
Training and education: HDCS manages Kathmandu International Study Centre (KISC), a school which provides education for the families of expatriate mission and development workers. KISC also run a Teacher Training programme for government schools in the Kathmandu Valley. Scholarships are made available for Management and Medical studies and opportunities are available at each of the hospitals for Nepali medical personnel to receive specialist clinical training.
