SOLU HOSPITAL PHAPLU, SOLUKHUMBU
Citizen’s Charter

Solu Hospital was built by Sir Edmund Hillary in the year 1974. It was later handed over to the Ministry of Health. It is run by the Government Staff under the District Health Office Solukhumbu. It is continuously supported by the Himalayan Trust under the agreement with the Government. Basic medical services are provided round the year but specialist services in Eye, Orthopedics, Obstetric & Gynecology, Dental and few other fields are provided through special health camps organized from time to time. The following services are available at present.

Out Patient Services:
Except on official holidays the  registration of patients is open from 9 AM till 11AM. On fridays which is a half working day, the registration is open from 9 AM till 10 AM only. Registration is necessary for each visit. Patients have to pay Rs. 10 (ten) for registration. Those who cant pay, can get a free registration but has to meet the Hosp. Supdt.

Inpatient Services:
The patients who are necessary to stay at the hospital for treatment are admitted by the doctor. Each patient have to pay 50 rupees on admission. They will not be charged any more whether they stay for one hour or for three months. Patients receive free food every morning and evening till the allocated budget is available. They should pay for lab. investigations, X-Rays, USGs and ECGs etc. Those patients who do not have money get free treatment but only Medical Superintendent hold the right to do so. Medicines that are available at the hospital store are provided for free.

Pharmacy:
The hospital pharmacy would be open from 9 AM till 2 PM. All the patients whether they are seen at the out patient or admitted at the hospital, would get medicines for free. Those medicines which are not available can be bought from Community Drug Store or else where. For patients seen in emergencies, medicines would be given at any time. 

Dressing & Injections:
Dressings & Injections etc prescribed by the hospital doctor would be carried out for free at the hospital. The dressing & Injection room would be open till 2 PM except on holidays when it will open for one hour only from 9 AM.

Dental Clinic:
The Dental Clinic is open from 9 AM till 2 PM on Tuesdays only. One of our senior Staff Nurse is trained for treating simple dental problems. Each patient has to pay Rs. 25 at the registration which would be open from 9 to 11 AM.

Community Eye Clinic:
The Community Eye Clinic is run with the help of Til Ganga Eye Centre at Kathmandu & a local NGO, Himalayan Health & Environmental Services Solukhumbu. ( HHESS ). It is open from 9 AM till 2 PM every day except on holidays. Ophthalmic Assistants can give an eye check up after registration at the clinic which cost Rs. 25. Slit lamp examination, refraction and minor eye surgeries are performed. Glasses are prescribed and made too.

Health Laboratory:
A small laboratory is run by a Laboratory Technician and an Assistant. Simple routine tests are performed. Pregnant mothers, TB, Leprosy, Malaria and poor patients don’t pay where as others have to pay as stated.

Maternal, Child Health & Family Planning Clinic:
MCH & FP services are being provided in the building of a local NGO called HHES Solukhumbu. It was a donation from a Nurse named Sister VERENA HOUSER, from Davos Switzerland. District Health Office staff are responsible in running the clinic. Polio, DPT, TT, Hep. B, Measles and BCG are given except on official holidays.
At the Antenatal Clinic pregnant women are examined daily and Iron and Albendazole are given. Each of them are tested for Hb, Urine Sugar & Albumin, Blood Grouping, HBs Ag, HIV & USG examination.
Condoms, Oral Contraceptive Pills, Depo Provera, Norplant, IUDs, Vasectomies for male and Tubal Ligations for females are done.
Post Partum Care is also provided regularly at the clinic.
 
Maternity Care :
Phaplu Maternity Centre is built and run by HHES Solukhumbu. It was sponsored by a German INGO named  Sherpa–Med Germany in the memory of Pasang Lhamu & Christiane Haase.
It is well equipped for providing Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric & Neonatal Care
 ( CEONC ). Basic Emergency Obstetric & Neonatal Care ( BEONC ) is available 24 hrs a day. Equipments were donated from Bill & Melinda Gate’s Foundation and also from personal donations from Mr. Carlos Vejarino, Paris.
Maternity services provided by the Centre are free for all. Those women who come for first & second delivery would get 1500 rupees as transport subsidy from the Ministry of Health.
Post Abortion Care (PAC) is also provided for free. Emergency Cesarean Sections are also done for free.
Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) up to twelve weeks of pregnancy is also provided by the trained doctors. This service is provided at a cost of one thousand rupees.

X-Ray:
A 100 MA Korean X-Ray Machine, is a kind donation from Rotary Club of Steamboat Springs Colorado, USA. Many other laboratory equipments were also received with it. A locally trained person works as a technician. Simple chest & limb X-Rays are common. Patients have to pay Rs. 75 for each film. Those who do not have money they get for free.

USG:
USG is performed by any doctor who are familiar with the machine. Ultrasonogram examination is a must for every pregnant women during their antenatal check up. This is done for free. Other patients need to pay Rs. 250 for a USG examination. They would not receive any film.

Fetal Monitoring :
Fetal Monitoring if necessary, is done for free at the Maternity Centre.

Community Drug Store:
Main aim is to make the medicines available at cheapest possible cost. At present medicines are available at Kathmandu retail price. Those drugs that are usually not available at the hospital pharmacy are sold here. The store also supplies medicines to the other health institutions.

Consultation:
Specialists and colleagues are consulted over the internet and possible services are rendered to the patients.

Referrals:
Patients are usually referred to appropriate hospitals in Kathmandu.