London - Bahrain - Kathmandu - Kalikot - Here we go

With but a few hours left before the first part of the team flies off to Kathmandu, it is time to reveal the itinerary that we plan to follow to reach Manma, in the Kalikot District, West Nepal.

3rd-4th January - Arrival in Kathmandu. Catching up on jet-lag, and last minute shopping to top up on the team's trekking equipment and enjoy the beauties of the Nepalese capital.

5th January - Visit to the Nepalese Family Planning Association to discuss their programs in Nepal (in particular those in Kalikot) and to explore the possibility of a co-operation. 

Lunch with Aruna, Lalit, Doctors for Nepal's sponsored student's lovely wife.

6th January 8:15 - Leave for the Patan Academy of Health Sciences to further discuss and finalise an agreement with them. Our future students will be trained at this medical school. They also provide the details of the Doctors for Nepal scholarships, carry out the selection process for future recipients of the scholarship etc...

Lunch with Lalits uncle.

7th January 9:30am  - Flight to Nepalgunj, the main transport hub for Nepal's Mid-Western and Far-Western regions. From there, we drive on to Surkhet.

8th January - Commence trek towards Manma, in the Kalikot district! 

Our plans there once we arrive are:

(a) Carry out a health needs assessment for a family planning program. To be able to gather the relevant information and data, we will visit health outreach posts and isolated villages;
(b) visit Kalikot District Hospital (and Ministry of Health posts) to assess how we can most effectively assist the population with its educational and health care needs. 

With the exception of Dr Kate Yarrow, our team leader, who will be heading off into the snowy Himalayan peaks, we will all be returning to London on the 2nd February, hopefully having collected enough data to write up our health needs assesment. 

Namaste!