Introduction

After restructuring and revitalisation of all educational activities with new insight, determination and commitment, this department is swiftly and innovatively moving ahead to bring about new, dynamic and effective change in helping to achieve the MCOMS vision of excellence both academically and professionally in teaching as well as in field activities.


Facilities available

The department exists at two places, Deep Campus and MTH. There is a well equipped practical demonstration hall cum museum in the Department Deep Height Campus. There are also two demonstration rooms in the department at MTH along with computers and internet connections.


Services provided

1. Teaching of Post Graduates (MD in Com. Med.)
2. Teaching and training of undergraduate medical students and interns.
3. Providing health services to rural and urban areas.
4. Organising periodical multi-specialty camps in co-ordinations with clinical departments of MTH and MCOMS, N/ Governments, quasi Nepal Government, international and national NGOs and local organisations.
5. Conducting short term tailored training programmes for various categories of health workers in collaboration with related agencies like W.V. International, Kadori Foundation, ACAP etc.
6. Running of DOTS clinic in MTH.
7. Other activities of this Department includes regular health services in association with:

• Nepal Government 
• Urban basic services of Pokhara and Lekhnath Municipality
• UNICEF, WHO
• Family Planning Association of Nepal, Kaski Branch in co-operation with School of Nursing & Clinical Departments, basic and refresher trainings to urban/ rural community health workers in the following areas:
• ANC, PNC, FP, HIV/AIDS, TB Control, Nutrition, Growth Monitoring, Disaster Management, First Aid, School Health, Social change & community development

8. Student’s Visits:

• First Semester Student Visits: During first year, student visits are organised to expose them to the organisation and functioning of rural communities and grass-root health care institutions. Visits are also made to do basic observational studies in rural communities. The student visits take place in a water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, pasteurisation plant etc.

• Third Semester Student Visits: This visit which was started in January 2005, particularly for community diagnosis with the idea of getting students to garner experience in the comprehensive assessment of the health status of the entire community in relation to social, physical, biological environment. The students will therefore be able to identify the existing health problem in the community, prioritise the main health problem in the community and implement the micro health project. This programme is being strengthened from 2009.

• Fifth Semester Student Visits: A group of five students are allotted five families during these visits. The students are posted for 15 days. In these visits, they have an opportunity to understand the impact of social pathology , psycho-social and economic factors on illness, role of family members in patient care, the natural history of disease and importance of patients follow up, identify knowledge, attitudes and practices of the patient and family members to give proper guidance and advice to the patients, family members and to create awareness and motivate them for necessary change and to refer to appropriate health care centres. 

• Sixth Semester Student Visits:

a) Health care Delivery system of Nepal; SHP, HP, PHC and District Hospitals, DPHO office & mainly cold chain management
b) National health programmes implementation
c) INGOS
d) Social Welfare, organisations (GONESA, Child Welfare Scheme, ASHA Clinics, Women’s development organisations etc.
e) Occupational Health related industries
f) GPH, TB, Eye (Hospitals , Centres etc)
g) UN systems offices ( WHO, UNICEF, etc)

• Seventh Semester Students Visits: In this visit students are taken to the School for check ups

Role of the Department in MCOMS/ MTH – courses

The Department of Community Medicine participates in the undergraduate teaching programmes from 1st semester to 7th semester. The subjects/ modules taught to the students in different semesters according to the curriculum designed by the Kathmandu University are as follows:

Table

Research Activities.
Since 2004, about 18 papers have been published from this department in various national and international journals.

Achievement of the Department

• Dr. S. B. Dixit has also presented a paper titled “Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and its impact on Nutritional parameters in rural population of Nepal at the 35th National Conference of IAPSM held at Pondicherry, India on 24th January 2008. He was also invited to chair a scientific session
• Dr. Chandra Shekhar T.S. was awarded a scholarship to pursue Master in International Health, (2007-2008)
• Dr. Asis De attended 3 weeks course at Summer School conducted by Sparkman Center for International Public health, School of Public Health at University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA during July-August, 2008
• Dr. S.B. Dixit was invited to chair scientific session at the 34th National Conference of IAPSM held at AIIMS, Delhi in Feb.2007. He also presented a paper titled “DOTS and DOTS Plus programme in Nepal.”

Future Plans, Proposed Expansion etc.

This department is going to extend effective linkage with the wider coverage of co-operation and co-ordination with our already established partners INGOs, NGOs and expand new partner organisations in the future particularly with a view for better extension and community services which will be sustainable and be very useful for the needy poor and under privileged people.