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You are here: Home / Archives for Himalayan Women's Health

Women's Health Project

The Himalayan Women’s Health project has been in operation in Ladakh since 2009 and has conducted numerous major screening, treatment and education camps in some of the most remote areas of the North Indian Himalayan region. Its main focus is on the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, as well as to provide gynecological and pregnancy-related care to the women of Ladakh.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in India and the disease kills more women in India than in anywhere else in the world. We have found high rates of cervical pre-cancer in this isolated and remote area.  The project has adopted a single-visit approach for the detection and treatment using a simple and cost effective method of screening known as Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA). This involves applying a weak vinegar solution to the cervix and observing the changes that occur. Women who have the visible pre-cancerous (cervical cells) changes then undergo a more thorough examination known as colposcopy, and are offered treatment under local anesthesia if necessary. The HWHP has been conducting regular screening and treatment camps and to date has screened almost 9,000 women and provided surgical treatments for over 600 patients with serious precancerous lesions or other maladies

Another important aspect of the work of HWHP is to educate local women about various aspects of women’s health, as well as to train local healthcare workers to perform the screening techniques. This will ensure continuity in the screening process, and eventually, we hope to train enough healthcare workers to be able to continue and expand the program.

Looking ahead, we hope to take the next, best possible step toward the long term health and welfare of the women of Ladakh by introducing the safe and effective vaccine that protects women from the HPV virus that has been proven to be the cause of cervical cancer in most instances.

2017 – Mission Statement

There are over 40,000 women in the Ladakh region that are at risk from cervical cancer.  Many of them are already infected with the HPV virus that has been shown to be the primary cause of this extremely serious illness.  The goal of The Himalayan Women's Heath Project is to address the problem with a two tiered strategy:

  1.  Screen and treat older, sexually active women for infection from the HPV virus and if necessary, treat them surgically for their developing precancerous lesions before that condition becomes a life threatening malignancy. We are sending local physicians to The National Cancer Center in Calcutta so they can be trained in the screening techniques that will enable infected women to be identified. When significant numbers of women needing surgery for their conditions are confirmed, then Dr Quek Swee Chong will fly to Ladakh from Singapore and perform the surgeries.  He has left all the necessary sophisticated  equipment required for these surgeries with us in Ladakh so logistically it is now relatively easy for him to fly in and perform 100+ of the procedures in only a few days. The next such surgical treatment mission is scheduled for August, 2017.
  2.  Introduce the safe and effective vaccine for the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer. The vaccines are widely available in developed, affluent places such as Europe, the United States and other metropolitan areas of India but they are prohibitively expensive for an rural, agricultural based population such as Ladakh. Dr Quek Swee Chong has been able to negotiate heavily discounted prices for the vaccines from the pharmaceutical companies holding the exclusive patents because of his humanitarian reputation as well as our assurances that the vaccines will be distributed free of charge.  The only obstacle now is gaining final permission and cooperation from the local medical officials.

 

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2011 Expedition Report. Nubra Valley Ladakh

February 7, 2012

Building upon the progress made on previous medical missions to the remote Nubra Valley of Ladakh,

Filed Under: Dental, Featured, Himalayan Women's Health

Hike to Digger/ Khema/ Tangyar/ Tsati

March 7, 2011

Brief Description about Digger/Tangya/Khemma These villages are situated on the eastern side of the Nubra Valley, which is located 80 km from the Headquarter of Nubra. These villages are some of the most difficult locations in terms of accessibility and the harsh climate as it is located at altitude ranging from 15000-16500 ft above sea…read more

Filed Under: Himalayan Women's Health

Fund Raising Event – Passion in Pink

March 5, 2011

A major fund raising event will be held March 8th at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Singapore to mark the 100th International Women’s Day. We are extremely honored and grateful that The Himalayan Women’s Health Project has been designated as the recipient of all proceeds raised during the event. Dr Chua Yang and Dr Myra…read more

Filed Under: Himalayan Women's Health

Women’s Health Camps in Tonsgted, Henachay and Nungsted Villages

March 5, 2011

There was a heavy snowfall over last few days and the whole valley was laden in white blanket of snow. Everything around was serene and beautiful. But it has created a bit of nuisance over the road as it has become slippery due to melting snow, which in turn got frozen into a sheet of…read more

Filed Under: Himalayan Women's Health

Remote Village Medical Camp Hike (Visit To Charasa and Burma Villages)

February 11, 2011

Day 1: 28/11/2010 1:29pm:

Filed Under: Himalayan Women's Health

Dr Norden’s Journal – HWHC expedition to Hunder Dok

February 10, 2011

November 20th, 2010 Time:-9:08 am We were ready for Hunder Dok with our bags are pack and shoes lace are tied, set out from Home Cum Office, SDH Disket Nubra.

Filed Under: Himalayan Women's Health

Himalayan Dental/Medical Project – 2010 Volunteers & Donors

September 18, 2010

The goals achieved by the Himalayan Dental Project during 2010 would not have been possible without the generosity and dedication of the following dentists and donors who shared their skills and contributions for the welfare of the good people of Ladakh.

Filed Under: Dental, Himalayan Women's Health, Vision

2010 Dental / Medical / Surgical Expedition to Nubra Valley Ladakh

September 6, 2010

On July 17, 2010, Dr. Myra Elliott returned to Ladakh for the third consecutive year in order to continue her follow-up efforts to bring a wide range of dental and medical health care treatment to the people living in one of the most remote areas of the Himalayas. After a year of post-expedition analysis and…read more

Filed Under: Dental, Himalayan Women's Health, Vision

Individual dentists & doctors committed to come to Ladakh for the Medical/Dental project in 2010.

March 7, 2010

Dr. Myra Elliott has committed to bringing another Dental / Medical team to Ladakh in August 2010.  This will include a major cataract surgical team led by Dr. Ranjana Sanjay Mathur, director of the Singapore National Eye Center. Dr. Marcus Ang diagnosed over 50 cases of severe cataract conditions during the 2009 expedition and now…read more

Filed Under: Dental, Himalayan Women's Health, Vision

2009 Dental / Medical Expedition to Nubra Valley, Ladakh

August 15, 2009

Dr. Elliott’s team arrived in Nubra Valley and after a greeting by most of the community, immediately set up a fully operational dental clinic in the dining hall of Lamdon School in the main village of Disket. In addition, several other classrooms were utilized for private clinics specializing in eye care, general medical conditions as…read more

Filed Under: Dental, Himalayan Women's Health, Vision

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Vision Testimonial

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All those associated with The Himalayan Vision Project are grateful for the tireless and heroic efforts of the teams of international vision health care physicians and optometrists who have brought vastly improved quality of life to countless men, women and children of Ladakh over the past 7 years.

Our objectives and capabilities have taken a quantum leap forward by virtue of an alliance formed with the prestigious LV Prasad Eye Institute located in Hyderabad. This invaluable collaboration was made possible by the friendship and shared ideals of one of the world's most renowned and admired cornea and stem cell specialists, Dr Virender Sangwan. Dr Sangwan came to the aid of a Ladakhi police officer who was suffering from an extremely serious eye condition and through the successful treatment of that very fortunate individual has become a friend and inspiration to us all.

[Read more...]

Womens Health testimonial

Dr Quek Swee Chong

Dr Quek Swee Chong

MBBCh, BAO (Dublin) MRCOG (UK) FAMS (Singapore)

Dr Quek Swee Chong is a specialist in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the ACS Clinic for Women Gleneagles Medical Centre. He was formerly Senior Consultant & Head, Pre-invasive Disease & Screening Unit, Department of Gynaecological Oncology, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital. He serves on the board of the International Federation of Colposcopy & Cervical Pathology. A former president of the Society of Colposcopy & Cervical Pathology of Singapore, he now sits on the present council.

[Read more...]

Clinic Testimonial

Fully functional humanitarian health care
for the people of Ladakh.

SONY DSC

His Holiness the Dalai Lama
blessing the Lamdon Clinic

The Lamdon Clinic now serves as "Basecamp" for our ambitious goal of bringing world class dental, vision and women's health care to the people of Ladakh. Not only will we continue to offer cost free treatments for all who come to our doors, but we will now also be sending mobile screening teams of medical professionals to drive or hike to the remotest villages and settlements in the Indus, Nubra and Zanskar Valley regions of Ladakh to educate, examine and if necessary transport patients who need treatment and rehabilitation back to our main clinic complex in Leh.

We draw our guidance from the compassionate inspiration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama who advocates doing all that is possible for those needlessly suffering or deprived of their basic human right of adequate medical care regardless of their religious loyalties, gender, citizenship or financial means.

We were greatly honored when His Holiness the Dalai Lama came to our clinic in 2012 and blessed it's capabilities and aspirations.

Coverage shown on Tibet Television network of His Holiness blessing the Lamdon Clinic

Dental Testimonial

dr-nordstrom

Julley everyone!  I'm Dr Marie Nordstrom, the resident dentist at the Himalayan Dental Project Clinic in Leh, Ladakh.  Two years ago I was working at a humanitarian dental clinic in Cambodia. When it was time to move on I was browsing around on the internet searching for another inspirational opportunity where I could volunteer my dental abilities and I came across the Himalayan Dental Project. I sent off an email expressing my interest to volunteer and within a few hours I had a reply from the project coordinator Bill Kite inviting me to join the the clinic team in Ladakh. After his first email I instinctively had a feeling that this would turn into something really significant and decided to book my flight to India and then up to Ladakh.  A short time later I found myself at more than 3,500m above sea level in the Himalayas with spectacular mountain views

[Read more...]

Medical Institutions

aiims new delhi
tilganga institute of ophthalmology
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