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Ja ja, mooie praatjes, politieke statements van hoog geplaatste leiders, we did it!! 
De volgende dag moet de schoolstudent Anand van zijn vader het veld in om onkruid te wieden en hij stapt boven op een landmijn, SHITTT!!!    
Hoezo Nepal landmine free??   Deze jongen nu heeft het overleefd,  bijna helaas voor hem, want hij is zwaar verminkt. Maar het feit dat hij nog wel leeft, maakt dat er voor hem gezorgd moet worden.

Bharat Wasti, vriend en gewaardeerd medewerker van Veldwerk/ Cross-Borders, heeft naast al zijn drukte nog een kleine NGO die hoog boven in het arme Jumla gebied werkt. Deze ongelukkige Anand komt uit dat gebied, dus Bharat heeft de zware verantwoording op zich genomen, dat hij de goede zorg krijgt. Eerst overleven, alle stukken ijzer uit zijn lichaam halen en dan met plastische chirurgie er proberen wat moois van te maken.  Dat zal zeker niet meevallen, hij is een oog kwijt en zijn gebit en mondhoek zijn zwaar beschadigd. Maar zijn gehoor is nog scherp, hij geeft goed antwoord (met zijn ellebogen) op de hem gestelde vragen links rechts, pijn ja, pijn nee, etc.  Al met al een rampzalige situatie, maar we moeten er toch het beste van zien te maken. En we hebben een zeer goede plastisch chirurg aan onze zijde in het Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. Aan deze operatie zijn heel veel kosten verbonden en we hebben Engely Tersteeg bereid gevonden hierin mee te denken. Engely heeft altijd een "potje" voor zieke kinderen, dus ook nu doet zij weer mee. Maar zonder uw hulp redt zij het ook niet. Kijk even op haar website, http://www.engely.eu/nieuws/ wellicht dat u ook een duit in het zakje wil doen voor Anand.  Want als jullie voor wat geld zorgen, dan kunnen wij hier voor het jongetje zorgen.  Alvast bedankt  voor de moeite en voor de facebook 'ers onder ons;  zie hier de update's

Rene Veldt, Katmandu.

From "Kathmandu Post June 14, 2011"

With the clearing of the last remaining anti-personnel landmines planted during the decade-long conflict in Phulchoki, Lalitpur, Nepal was formally declared a minefield-free country on Tuesday.

This, according to a joint statement issued by the UN and the government, makes Nepal the second Asian country after China to declare itself landmine-free.

In an event organised by the Ministry for Peace and Reconstruction and the United Nations Mine Action Team (Unmat) Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and Army Chief Gen Chhatra Man Singh Gurung pressed a button to detonate the last remaining landmines. Speaking at the programme, Khanal said "this is a major achievement" for the government in implementing a key commitment made in the Comprehensive Peace Accord. However, he expressed concerns about Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) which are still affecting civilians.

The CPA states that "both sides [the government army and the Maoist PLA] shall assist each other to mark landmines and booby traps used during the time of armed conflict by providing information within 30 days and defuse and excavate the same within 60 days."

Uit "Kathmandu Post 24 juni 2011"

However, according to experts, the commitment, particularly to complete the deminig process within 60 days, was "too unrealistic" for such a time-consuming and difficult job.

Compared to Afghanisthan and Cambodia, which are still not free from landmines despite decades-long efforts, demining in Nepal was completed in a very short span of time, according to experts in the demining team.

"It is true that it has taken a little longer than the 60 days envisaged in the CPA, but perseverance, bravery and sacrifice and financial and technical support from around the world has got us across the finish line at last," the UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Nepal, Robert Piper, said. "While we celebrate today the clearance of the last of 53 minefields, let us keep these victims close to our thoughts. And in their honour, let us agree on two simple but powerful words—'never again'."

The NA had planted 12,070 minefields in 53 areas across the country during the 10-year insurgency. However, only IEDs were used by the Maoists.

According to data compiled by the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), between Jan 1, 2006 and June 1, 2011, four persons were killed and 19 injured in mine explosions.

Though the threat from landmines is over, IEDs still pose a threat. Both the NA and the PLA had used IEDs. Of the 275 sites where NA had planted IEDs, 170 have already been cleared. Likewise, 52, 617 IEDs across nine cantontment sites were demolished by the Maoist Army with UN support in 2009.

Nevertheless, many experts believe that inaccurate data from the Maoist side have made the clearing of the stray IEDs almost impossible.

During the period 2006 to 2011, 78 persons were killed and 395 others injured in IED related incidents, according to INSEC.

Geschreven op 07-02-2011 door Suzanne van der Horst, Leeuwarder Courant (weekendbijlage Sneon & Snein)

Bron: www.suzannevanderhorst.nl

Zeven januari 2011. Ik zit in een vliegtuig met bestemming Kathmandu, Nepal, en zie de verlichte Nederlandse steden onder me in het duister verdwijnen. In mijn rugtas zit €5000. Het is niet mijn geld. Ik heb het gekregen van vrienden en kennissen die via mij arme mensen in Nepal willen helpen.

KATHMANDU, FEB 05 2011  -  from Kathmandu Post 

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is extending the current daily 12- hour power cut to 14 hours on an average effectively from Monday. NEA officials say that the water-level in rivers has decreased leading to a drop in power generation. Most of Nepal’s hydro-projects are river run-offs.

The  total power demand in the country is 930 MW, and generation is 520 MW only.

Secretary at the Central Level Committee of the National Forum for Protection of Rights of Consumers Ram Chandra Simkhada apprehended the situation could get worse.

NEA Spokesperson Chiranjeevi Pandey said NEA is trying to ensure   power outage doesn’t increase.  Kantipur Television (KTV) is airing ‘Laaltin Bulletin’ since Feb. 1 to press policy makers to end the long outage. 

Het rommelt in Nepal en speciaal in de Kathmandu vallei.

Er zijn onlangs lichte aardschokken gevoeld én gemeten, (5 op de schaal van Richter) Maar statistisch gezien komt er een zware aardbeving tussen nu en 10 jaar tijd  in Nepal, 8, of hoger op de schaal van richter.

Deskundigen verwijzen al naar de situatie in Haïti, waar het nu een jaar na de grote aardbeving een grote en ongeorganiseerde puinhoop is, letterlijk, met nu op dit moment na zware regen (ook een bekend gegeven in Nepal tijdens de moesson periode) allerlei uitbraak van vreselijke en dodelijke ziektes zoals cholera. Maar zonder afdoende medicatie is een simpele diaree in Nepal ook al dodelijk gebleken. De autoriteiten weten van de komende aardbeving, maar op de een of andere wijze wordt er een struisvogel politiek gevoerd: Kop in het zand en gewoon doorgaan! Zie het artikel hieronder onlangs in de Kathmandu Post. Er is een bekend gezegde “vertrouw  op God, maar bind je paard aan een boom”.

Dat laatste wordt hier vergeten, iedereen vertrouwd op de goden, maar geen enkele voorzorg tegen dit te verwachte onheil.

Stichting Veldwerk probeert zich zoveel als mogelijk wel voor te bereiden, zie ook artikel op onze website: Tentjes van bamboe

Oct 25th, 2010 The Kathmandu Post  -  by Pragati Shahi

A high magnitude earthquake is due anytime in Kathmandu valley, experts predict. And if this happens, more than 40,000 people will be killed while an estimated 900,000 will be left homeless as 60 percent of the buildings will be demolished, according to geologists.

Situated in a seismically active region, Kathmandu is highly prone to earthquakes. The World Disasters Report 2010 listed the capital city of the country as one of the seven cities of South Asia vulnerable to disasters.

On Oct. 17, a tremor with a magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale was recorded in and around the valley with its epicenter in the region bordering Tibet and northern side of Nepal. Other recent tremors felt inside Kathmandu Valley were on May 13 and Oct.1 this year, each measuring 4 on the Richter scale. Natural disasters cannot be prevented from happening but the irony is that despite common knowledge of the country situated in a seismically fragile lap, it has hardly any disaster preparedness measure that can help mitigate the severity and saves lives and property, says Amrit Man Tuladhar, National Programme Manager of Earthquake Risk Reduction and Recovery Preparedness Programme for Nepal under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works. The boom in construction of new buildings that have failed to include earthquake resistant components to meet the needs of the rapid increase in population in the city is a major challenge for the city if an earthquake occurs, he said. “The construction of unstructured (non-technical to deal with earthquake) high buildings

Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of the old buildings and infrastructures inside the valley are vulnerable to tremor causing loss of billions of rupees and lives of hundreds of people, Tuladhar said. Unfortunately, the rescue operation inside the valley during the time of event is very poor as most of the infrastructures like roads, bridges are vulnerable to collapse and there is very limited space available for evacuation. “We will lack the facilities of mobile clinics and access to first-aid kit which are very essential at the time when earthquake happens. The preparation of preparedness during the time of disaster is very poor,” Tuladhar said. Amod Mani Dixit, executive director of National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal said, there are no facilities to carry rescue operation inside the capital at the time of disaster. According to him, majority of the hospitals, roads, bridges and houses are vulnerable to earthquake. “Except few private and public houses, hospitals and institutions among others which are built following the components of earthquake resistant, majority of the buildings will be destroyed hampering the rescue operation,” he said. 

According Nepal Red Cross Society’s 2008 Earthquake Contingency Plan, the valley would suffer serious disruption in the event of an earthquake.

“Roads, bridges, water storage facilities, communications networks would be seriously damaged by warping or subsidence, and access routes blocked by landslides and the collapse of road-beds,” the plan says.

Meanwhile, though the government formulated the Building Code 1998 to specify measures for constructing earthquake-resistant buildings, however the codes are rarely practiced by the people.

Tuladhar said, except newly constructed government owned buildings and some private houses, the earthquake components have been failed to be incorporated while building maximum number of houses particularly in urban areas of the country. 

Out of total five municipalities in around the Kathmandu valley only two namely Kathmandu and Lalitpur are abiding by the building codes, he added. In Nepal, over 16 earthquakes have occurred since 1223 and the last one was recorded in 1988.  The most disastrous occurred in 1833 (magnitude 7.7 on Richter scale) and 1934 (magnitude 8.3 on Richter scale). Their epicentres respectively were in Kathmandu Valley and Sankhuwasabha Chainpur Nepal.

De moeder-kind sterfte in Nepal is nog heel erg hoog.

Hieronder ziet u 2 artikelen uit de lokale krant die hier over verhalen, want de millenniumdoelstelling nr. 5 wordt in Nepal nog lang niet gehaald:

Het verbeteren van gezondheid van moeders

In 2015 is het de moedersterfte met driekwart afgenomen

In 2015 hebben alle vrouwen toegang tot reproductieve gezondheidszorg

De overheid doet een poging, maar zonder hulp van buiten redden zij dat niet

Stichting Veldwerk helpt en faciliteert in ons werkgebied Dhading 5 basis healthposten, 1 medische post speciaal voor vrouwen om te bevallen en Stichting Veldwerk heeft een nieuwe ambulance geschonken om de dorpen hoog in de bergen met de ziekenhuizen in de stad te verbinden. Daarbij wordt er veel voorlichting verstrekt aan meisjes en vrouwen over geboorte regeling, bevallen en weer opstaan, lees goede nazorg aan hen. In ons werkgebied gaat het nu wel wat beter, zie hier onze inspanning voor millennium doel nummer 5

Oct 31th, 2010.  The Kathmandu Post

While the whole town was rejoicing in the worship of the Goddess Durga during Dashain, down here on earth, a soon-to-be mother Ram Kumari was rushed to the hospital fighting for her life as the ambulance weaved its way through the festive city. Writhing in intermittent unbearable pain, surrounded by an anxious husband and in-laws, Ram Kumari was brought to the obstetrics emergency room grasping for breath. Upon arrival, she was examined by the attending doctors and immediately wheeled to the operation theatre. Nine months pregnant, Ram Kumari must have been in labour for quite some time before she sought medical attention. Her water had broken, and the baby was trying to make its way out. Being in a transverse position, it was unable to come out. But in its struggle to be born, instead of its head, the baby’s arms pushed its way through the birth canal. Fortunately for Ram Kumari, the doctors were at hand to perform an immediate caesarean section, resuscitating the almost-lifeless newborn to life—preventing any further major complications to both the mother and the baby.

There are many more Ram Kumaris in Nepal in similar situations, but not everyone’s story has a happy ending like hers. Despite Nepal being lauded for its outstanding progress in reducing maternal mortality—Goal 5 of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals—we still have a long way to go. Maternal Mortality rate in Nepal is estimated to be 229 per 100,000 live births. Although this is a great achievement from our previous record, it is still one of the highest in South East Asia. Worldwide, one woman dies every minute due to pregnancy-related complications, 99 percent of which occurs in developing countries like ours. Tragically, many of these deaths can be prevented by adequate, accessible and affordable health services and effective antenatal care.

Antenatal care not only helps women identify complications and potential risk factors during pregnancy but also shows directions to plan for a safe delivery. Women who receive antenatal care are the ones most likely to seek professional health personnel for childbirth and for future family planning advice, thus helping in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.

According to World Health Organization, antenatal care is one of the four pillars of safe motherhood with the other three being a clean and safe delivery, essential obstetric care, and family planning. Many studies have shown that women who do not receive prenatal care are more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes. In Nepal, only one in four women receives antenatal care. Illiteracy, ignorance, socio-economic conditions, cultural, traditional and religious beliefs are some of the reasons that are partly responsible for making mothers unaware of or indifferent to the availability of antenatal services.

But sometimes, even with the most careful of checkups and timely interventions, some obstetric complications cannot be anticipated or avoided in spite of all efforts. Therefore, our expectations must also be realistic.

It is truly ironic that in a culture that protects women, in a tradition that idolizes motherhood, in a religion that worships female deities, women do not have access or are unaware about the much-needed healthcare when they require it the most: during pregnancy and childbirth.

Dr. Singh is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Patan Hospital.