College staff member, Kabita Rai recently flew to Nepal in order to embark on a challenging 14 day trek to the South Base Camp on Mount Everest. Kabita's journey is part of the College's Global Health Challenge Events Scheme and her efforts will raise much needed funds to support the College's work with Nepalese pathologists and laboratory medicine professionals to improve diagnostic pathology services in the country, particularly in the rural areas.
Kabita works as the Workforce Administrator within the College's Workforce Department. Her trek will begin with a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Airport. From there, the route will take her through the rolling hills of the rhododendrons forests, walking across world's highest suspension bridges whilst clinging onto the safety walls, taking refuge in the world's most rural villages set within the backdrop of breathtaking landscapes and marching alongside the Himalayan glaciers to reach to the South Base Camp on Mount Everest.
According to the United Nations, Nepal ranks 138th in the world in overall human development, behind such countries as India and Bangladesh and one of the least developed countries in Asia. Approximately 50% of the Nepalese population live in poverty. The earthquakes that struck Nepal in April 2015 represent the greatest natural disasters to befall Nepal in modern history. They killed more almost 9,000 people and left an estimated 2.5 million people homeless.
Dr Maadh Aldouri, a Consultant Haematologist and the College’s Director of International Affairs commented:
“We are extremely grateful to Kabita for putting Nepal on the College’s global health agenda. By taking up this challenge, she has inspired us to reach out to pathologists in Nepal and we are now in constructive dialogue with the Association of Clinical Pathologists of Nepal (ACPN) about how the College can work with them to improve health services for the people of Nepal.”
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