United Mission Hospital Tansen (Nepali: युनाईटेड मिशन अस्पताल तानसेन) is located in the Tansen Municipality Ward No. 1, Palpa District, Lumbini Province of Nepal. The hospital serves thousands of patients from western Nepal and northern India, and is part of a broader healthcare network. The hospital is part of United Mission to Nepal.[1] The hospital was started on 15 June 1954.[2] Besides providing basic health services, it is involved in community health education. It is one of few hospitals in Nepal with its own pharmacy[3][4]।
History
Tansen Mission Hospital was started by United Mission to Nepal in 1959 by a group of Christian doctors. It was mainly conceived during the visit of Dr. Robert Flemming (ornithologist), his wife Dr. Bethel Flemming, and Dr. Carl Friedericks in the winter of 1951 –1952.[5] The first hospital building was constructed in 1959.
Notable Doctors
Dr. Carl Friedericks
Dr. Robert Flemming
Dr. Bethel Flemming (wife of Dr. Robert Flemming)
Current
The hospital has 169 beds looked after by about 405 local staffs (including trainees. There are few mission appointees (depends on volunteer numbers) from the UK, USA, Australia, Sweden and other countries.[6]
Facilities
Outpatient services
Male, female and paediatric general clinics
24 hour emergency service (12 bedded Emergency Room)
A primary care maternal and child health clinic
General surgical consultation
Orthopaedic consultation
Psychiatry
Dermatology
ANC / Family planning
Diabetes
TB /Leprosy clinic
ART / HIV clinic
Dental clinic
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy
Diagnostic services
Echocardiogram
Endoscopy
Histopathology
Laboratory
Spirometry
Treadmill test
Ultrasound
X-ray (digital)
Inpatient services – 169 beds in the following wards or units
Medicine – Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/High Dependency Unit (HDU)
Pediatrics – Newborn HDU
General Surgery
Burns
Gynaecology
Obstetrics
Orthopaedics
Psychiatry
Rehabilitation
Urology
Community health department
Satellite maternal and child health clinics supporting 4 government health posts.
Mental health programme in mothers’ groups and schools
Child nutrition rehab centre and maternal waiting home
Pastoral care department
Pastoral care and counselling for patients and staff
Assessing for and arranging subsidised or free care for patients
Play therapist and children’s ward teacher
Partnership project with Aviyan Nepal
New Life Psychiatric Rehab Centre
Training
The hospital acts as a practical training site for many medical-related professions. These include:
1. Postings for MDGP resident doctors from 4 different institutions.
2. Tansen School of Health Science (a joint UMHT/CTEVT partnership) – courses for:
Staff Nurses (RN)
Lab Technicians (CMLT)
3. For Province Health Training Centre:
Skilled Birth Attendant Training
Midlevel Practicum training
4. Under the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS):
Anaesthesia Assistant Training
5. Under Elijah Counselling and Training Centre (ECTC):
Diploma in Counselling and Personal Transformation (PTCT)
6. Medical electives for international students – see Electives
In addition, continuing medical education for staff is run regularly, including:
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Primary Trauma Care (PTC)
Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP)
Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Advanced Life Support Obstetrics (ALSO)
Paediatric nursing course
In addition, the training is provided to the students of Tansen Nursing School.[7]
Research and development
Besides treatment, the hospital is actively involved in research works. Various medical papers are published regularly by its staff or volunteers such as survival of new born baby[8] and introduction of new technology for rural hospitals[9]
In 2017, device called Tansen Video Laryngoscope was developed in this hospital.[10]
Treated patients
In 2010, the hospital treated 83,218 and admitted 11,201. Total number of deliveries was 2,116 and total surgical procedures was 7,624. Total numbers of antenatal visits in the town clinic this year was 3,823 (3,576) and under five attendance was 3,680. There were about 1000 patients each month in the emergency department.[7]
^Thapa, RajKumar (2010). "Hospital Pharmacy Practice in Nepal, Present Situation and Future Vision". Paradigm Shift in Pharmacy Profession.
^Kadyat, N; Dhungana, B. R.; Khanal, D. P. (2019). "History of Hospital Pharmacy Practice in Nepal". Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences. 3 (1): 181–188.
^Hazam, Lou (1957). "AMERICAN MEDICINE ABROAD— TANSEN, NEPAL". Journal of the American Medical Association. 164 (18): 2080. doi:10.1001/jama.1957.62980180016023.
^ abAnnual Report(PDF). Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^Borulkar, P D; Borulkar, S P; Daga, s R (1998). "Special care for newborns at a community hospital: a 5-year experience". Tropical Doctor. 28 (4): 201–203. doi:10.1177/004947559802800404. PMID9803836. S2CID40128056.