Jhapa's 'Jeevan Raksha Home Care' Brings Hospital Services to Patients' Doorsteps

Jhapa. 'Jeevan Raksha Home Care,' established with the vision of bringing hospital services directly to the homes of patients who frequently need treatment, has become popular in Jhapa.

Dr. Chewanraj Karki, 27, who works in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Purnatunga Birtacity Hospital, started the home care service in Birtamod about a year and a half ago after registering the organization with government bodies along with some of his friends. It is reported that this service, currently available across Jhapa, is in the process of expanding to various districts in the Koshi Province.

For patients unable to go to the hospital or those discharged from the hospital, 'Jeevan Raksha Home Care' provides treatment services at home, ranging from 'pain management' to post-operative dressing, physiotherapy, and administering IV fluids, said Dr. Chewanraj Karki, the founder and executive chief of the organization.

The treatment services provided by home care are proving to be a boon for cancer patients recovering at home. He stated that the home care medical team reaches the patient's home with necessary equipment and medicines as soon as they receive a call at any time.

The medical team of Home Care includes experienced doctors and more than 15 nurses, health assistants, and staff directly involved. He informed that since experienced local nurses and health assistants from various cities in the district have joined the Home Care network, it has become easy to provide treatment anywhere, anytime, and in any situation.

The team provides services like ambulance, ultrasound, ECG, and dressing by bringing equipment to the home, and they also collect 'samples' for blood, urine, and stool tests, get them analyzed in the laboratory, and provide the reports at home. "This is an attempt to bring the hospital to the home," says Dr. Karki, "We have brought hospital services home so that patients returning home after a long stay in the hospital post-surgery do not have the hassle of repeatedly visiting the hospital for minor issues."

Ashish Sharma, a teacher at Gomendra Mahavidyalaya, states that the home care service is even more effective when elderly parents of families whose children are away for employment fall ill, as finding an ambulance to take them to the hospital and finding relatives to stay as caregivers can be difficult at such times.

"Home care service is quite common abroad, but it is new in our area," he says, "Our family has also used the service of Jeevan Raksha Home Care. Dr. Karki's team's service spirit seemed commendable."

The medical team of Home Care also provides the service of safely transporting critically ill patients, including those needing ventilators, to well-equipped hospitals in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Dharan, and Siliguri via an ambulance, and they also offer caregiver services for patients admitted to any hospital within the district.

Founder Dr. Karki states that the goal is not to turn the home care service into a business platform but to use it as a medium for social service. The service fee charged by Home Care for providing services at home is not expensive. Home Care is making health services accessible day and night in any rural settlement by charging a minimum fee for general dressing, ranging from NPR 300 to 350, and for doctor visits. It has been reported that Home Care has sent proposals to various old age homes in Birtamod with the goal of providing health services at a 'baseline rate' in these institutions.

Dr. Karki shared that the service of 'Jeevan Raksha Home Care,' which started in Birtamod, has already reached Biratnagar, and the goal is to reach Dharan soon. 'Jeevan Raksha Home Care,' the first organization in Koshi Province to provide home care services, is also providing services by operating free health camps in various locations. It also organizes various programs to raise health awareness.

Dr. Karki, who is pursuing an MBA at Purbanchal University, says he is trying to improve the health sector through new technology from a managerial perspective. He stated that the organization's objectives include providing 'telemedicine' services through a mobile app and delivering health services by visiting jails and correctional facilities.

Dr. Karki recently received the 'Paurakhi Gen-Z Honor' as an outstanding individual for establishing 'Jeevan Raksha Home Care' and providing excellent and innovative services in the health sector. He says, "We are receiving encouragement from everyone for the work done so far. In the future, we will serve society with many more good plans."