The Rights Based Approach and the Story of Dhirendra Kumar B

The Britain-Nepal Medical Trust adopted the Rights Based Approach (RBA) for effective implementation of its Health Improvement Programme (HIP) from late 1990s.

The RBA advocates for the health rights of each and every citizen, especially those who are deprived and marginalised. The approach seeks to empower people to gain access to improved health and services and trains and plans with health service providers to ensure non-discrimination for the highest standards of care.

“The workshop has changed my life completely; I have become more aware about my rights. I am now more actively involved in social works for the betterment of my community. I owe this to the Britain Nepal Medical Trust’s ‘Right Based Approach (RBA) to Health Improvement Programme’ that made me believe in myself”

Dhirendra Kumar B. Ka, 18 years
Sidhara VDC, Morang

Dhirendra Kumar B. Ka belongs to a dalit community living in a small village called Sidhara in Morang District of Eastern Nepal. Dhirendra lost his sight when he was seven years old. Ever since then life had been very difficult for him. That is until he had the opportunity to participate in a workshop run under the Britain Nepal Medical Trust’s RBA programme. This workshop, for disadvantaged youths’ peer support, helped him to come out from his small hut to claim for his rights and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

He now chairs a local youth group called the ‘Dalit Janasyasthya Yuwa Club’ which meets on a monthly basis to design awareness programs on health issues such as stigma and discrimination towards people with HIV infections. He even writes scripts for street dramas and motivates his fellow youths to act and perform in the plays. The club promotes personal hygiene and cleanliness in the community. As more people start to keep their home and surrounding area cleaner, the frequency of infectious disease in the community may be expected to decrease.

Today, Dhirendra is less worried about his blindness; he is concerned rather about his community and people’s rights. He has become a change agent and he is proud that he has found a meaningful place in society.

The Story of Lakpa

An elderly ex-Gurka fails to collect his pension because his son Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, like 45% of the population, has TB and can no longer manage the family’s small farm that is their only source of income.

In spite of a well run Government TB programme, Lakpa doesn’t know how he can be cured.

A support worker of BNMT learned of his illness and referred him to a local health post where he was started on Directly Observed Treatment (DOTS) with free drugs.

After five months he is feeling better and can once again run the family farm. He continues to take his TB drugs at home supervised by his younger brother.

He is also helping to spread the word that treatment for TB is available and that it works!