Helping Hands Nepal Chapter — the on-the-ground operational arm of Helping Hands: Health and Human Services, America — is expanding the clinical capacity of its Primary Health Care Clinic at Sanischare Camp in Morang, Nepal. The move marks a significant step in the chapter's mission to provide sustained, specialist healthcare to the Bhutanese refugee community and surrounding underserved populations in Eastern Nepal.
A Clinic at the Heart of the Community
The Sanischare Camp clinic operates at the intersection of two longstanding problems: a refugee population with complex health needs shaped by decades of displacement, and a rural district with limited access to qualified medical professionals. Non-communicable diseases — including cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and hypertension — are particularly prevalent in ageing refugee populations that have spent years in camp environments with limited dietary variety and elevated chronic stress.
The Nepal Chapter's clinic provides free outpatient consultations, chronic disease monitoring, maternal and child health services, and mental health assessments — all delivered using electronic medical records that connect individual patient data to broader research conducted in partnership with Brown University and Health and Education for All (HAEFA).
Investing in Local Capacity
Alongside direct patient care, the clinic actively invests in the professional development of its medical staff. Physicians and health workers receive structured training in cardiovascular disease management, non-communicable disease protocols, maternal health care, and global health research methods — building a cadre of healthcare professionals with deep expertise in refugee health that extends well beyond a single clinic or camp.
The position also serves as a practical training ground in global health. Staff gain hands-on experience in delivering primary care under resource-constrained conditions, working with electronic medical records in a field setting, and contributing to live research on refugee health outcomes.
The Broader Network
The Sanischare expansion is part of a wider operational network that the Nepal Chapter runs across Eastern Nepal, including community health camps in the Beldangi settlements and outreach programmes in Pathari and surrounding rural districts. Community Advisory Boards in both Pathari and Beldangi — composed of local leaders and community members — guide programme priorities and ensure services are shaped by the very people they serve.
Equitable healthcare for the most marginalised communities cannot depend on charity alone. It requires sustained clinical presence, research-backed interventions, and a team that sees itself as part of the community — not visitors to it.
Helping Hands America is proud to support the Nepal Chapter's ongoing expansion. To learn more about the chapter's clinical programmes or to explore ways to support this work, visit healthyhumanservices.org or get in touch with us directly.
Published by Helping Hands Nepal Chapter — the Nepal Chapter of Helping Hands America.