NDA Journal 2021

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN DR R AM E S H KHO J U Dear NDAUK members, Namaste! I would like to thank all of you for giving us an opportunity to serve in the executive committee for the years 2019- 2021.Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 pandemic we could not see each other for the last two consecutive years. However, we had a lot of opportunities to meet virtually. This year we lost our beloved members Drs Subarna Man Shrestha and Bibek Pradhan.On behalf of the executive committee I would like to pay tribute to both of them and thank their contributions towards NDA. During the period of this year, Nepal has come across first and second waves of COVID-19 pandemic. Immediately, before the second wave we organised a webinar on “COVID -19 and Oxygen Therapy“in association with ANMF, SIMON and NSCCM. In collaboration with ANMF and HExN, NDA have been supporting for oxygen delivery to 88 bedded Isolation Centre with oxygen therapy at Radha Swami Centre, Basundhara, Kathmandu which has been easing hospitals to step down the patients, by freeing hospital beds for COVID -19 patients. This centre will run for at least next 6 months. We also helped different hospitals and remote outreaches with oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, modified Snorkel CPAPs and PPEs. I would like to thank all NDA members and our well wishers for their contributions towards online fund donation, charity film show (I am Bel Maya) and collecting COVID relief stuff from hospitals. Special thanks to Health Exchange Nepal for shipping and distributing relief materials to designated hospitals via Diabetes Nepal and Nepal Critical Care Development Foundation. We are grateful to Drs Mohan Thapa , Sudhir Lohani and Nandan Gautam for their support and Tele-consultation to colleagues in Nepal (including remote areas) in the management of COVID-19 patients.NDA also took part in different meetings with fellow Nepalese and BRANNGO in the UK, and also wrote to No 10 for vaccine lobbying and COVID relief support to Nepal. Thanks to our members we organised a virtual wellbeing session with Dr Chinta Mani Yogi. As in previous year, we continued working with Nepalese communities in the UK by organising talk programmes “ Swastha Sambad ” in association with NNAUK, FNJUK and NRNAUK during second wave in the UK, and also took part in mental health webinar for ex-Gurkhas. We are grateful to all members who took part in the programmes. We also continued to support young doctors for their PLAB 2 preparation, including VISA extension and later on job application. Thanks to Drs Donna Shrestha and Chadani Roka Magar we organised a webinar on “An overview on successful Job application in the NHS” . I am very pleased to announce that most of them have already NDA UK JOURNAL, JULY 2021 started their careers in the NHS. NDA is in constant touch with other sister organisations, like BAPIO, and also a part of the Consortium of BAME network. Finally, I would like to thank once again to all NDAUK and executive committee members, working tirelessly in this hard period and wish you all to stay safe. This is the NDA 36th Treasurer's report and I would like to express my sincere thanks to all our members for their continued support in raising funds at this very challenging time. It has been difficult to hold our face to face fundraising events due COVID restrictions but NDA needed funds to support its objectives it set out to do. At this unprecedented time when cases of COVID was heaving in Nepal, calls went out from the NDA executive to its members for their financial support, NDA members and other well-wishers came out with donations, for which NDA is very grateful. NDA was able to collaborate with its sister organisation ANMF to fund an oxygen supply project at a large Isolation Centre built in Kathmandu apart from providing other medical equipment to hospitals in Nepal. Another call went out for financial assistance to our fellow junior doctors from Nepal who were stranded here as their PLAB exam was cancelled and so many of you came out to support them. We as an organisation should be very proud to have members able to come together and help at times of disaster. With regard to our accounts, we continue to have two accounts with Barclays Bank. One is a charity account and another membership account. The main income to our charity account has been mainly through donations via Virginmoney giving and cheque payments. Total sum generated from April 2020 to the end of March 2021 was over £4000 and from April 2021 to July 2021 was over £8000. This account also receives regular monthly donations setup by members. So far only a few members are contributing this way. Large expenses include help with Oxygen project at isolation centre in Kathmandu (£10000), sending Critical care Foundation of Nepal large amount of CPAP device improvised from Snorkel masks for purpose of respiratory support( £2330 ), Oxygen concentrators to peripheral Jumla in Nepal(£1203). There is also an annual cost related to accountant and website maintenance. Main funds coming to the membership account is from membership subscriptions. This account is always struggling to maintain its fund. NDA had funds in Santander Bank from life membership. As per our discussion in our last AGM, this account was closed and funds (£8185 ) transferred to the membership account. NDA will have to decide which is the best way to invest this fund to get better return. Both membership and charity accounts need an income boost for NDA to be able to continue to provide help. Summary of charity and membership account are in the Appendix. TREASURER’S REPORT DR K P K A RN 2