News Release

LDS Charities donate life-saving machines in Nepal

July 1, 2016 Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital officially inaugurated two continuous positive airway pressure CPAP machines donated by LDS Charities. LDS Charities is a humanitarian division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Paropakar Hospital is in Katmandu, Nepal, which is part of the India New Delhi mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In attendance at the Paropakar Hospital ceremony were hospital physicians, representatives of LDS Charities and local LDS church members.

Lear Weaver, serving as a humanitarian worker, said, "The doctors, nurses and staff in the Paropakar NICU worked so diligently to help the tiny, sick babies that are in their care. It was a great priviledge for the LDS Charities to be able to help them in this most important work. The staff expressed heartfelt gratitude for the donation of the equipment; and for the two weeks of expert training provided by a respiratory therapist brought in by the LDS Charities from a Utah hospital."

The CPAP machines deliver needed air to infants’ lungs during respiratory distress. Prior to the CPAP donations, premature infants with respiratory problems were intubated and put on a respirator.  Intubation, compared to CPAP, is more aggressive on the infants’ bodies. Some babies were getting infected with the aggressive intubation method. Due to the infections, infants were dying.

CPAP machines deliver a gentler, less aggressive method of air to the infants. More infants have been surviving since the machines were donated in April, 2016. 

Since using the donated equipment, Dr. Kalpana Subedi estimated that 20 babies have survived, since the machines were donated two months ago. 

In addition, two infant warmers were also donated to the Paropakar Hospital from LDS Charities. The infant warmers and CPAP machines donated in April, 2016 to the hospital, have been gratefully accepted and used. Infant warmers are used to warm premature infants and other distressed infants.

LDS Charities also purchased materials for 40 infant blankets, which will be used in the hospital unit next to NICU. The blankets will be used after the infants “graduate” from the NICU, yet are still critically ill. The blankets were sewed and quilted by members of the LDS Kathmandu, Nepal Branch. The women who sewed were happy to donate their time.

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