Aarogya Patient Shelter: Restoring Dignity to Patients Far From Home
What we do
Aarogya Patient Shelter, locally known as ‘Aarogya Aashram‘ or ‘Birami Aashram‘ is a safe and compassionate home in Kathmandu offering free accommodation, food, and support to underprivileged patients and their caretakers who travel from outside the valley for treatment. Many must remain near hospitals for weeks or months, yet cannot afford lodging and end up sleeping in corridors, waiting rooms, or on the streets. Aarogya exists to ensure every patient has a dignified, worry-free place to stay during their treatment.
Why This Work Matters
Because advanced medical care in Nepal is centralized, patients from rural districts face serious challenges:
- No safe or affordable place to stay
- Difficulty navigating hospitals and meeting specialists
- Limited awareness of government-funded treatment options
- No family or caregiver support, especially for abandoned or disabled patients
While the government subsidizes treatment, no provision exists for accommodation or caregiving, leaving many patients unable to complete their care. Aarogya Patient Shelter fills this critical gap.
How We Support Patients
BAS ensures no one is denied treatment due to poverty or lack of support. The shelter provides:
- Free accommodation and meals
- Assistance in navigating hospitals and accessing public medical funds
- Transportation for patients in need
- Caregiving support for those without attendants
- Essential medical supplies
- Physiotherapy, especially for cerebral palsy patients
- Education support for children undergoing long-term treatment
- Skill-building training for long-term patients (incense making, crafts, etc.)
Community Service Project (CSP): Bringing Care Home for People With Disabilities
What We Do
The Community Service Project (CSP) is an initiative designed to strengthen collaboration with local wards of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to ensure that people with disabilities receive the support they need within their own homes and communities. By working directly with municipal authorities, CSP helps identify individuals with severe disabilities and connects them to essential care and services.
Where We Work
The project began in Ward No. 3 of KMC, where it has already supported residents with severe disabilities. Based on its impact, CSP has now expanded to additional wards, and the first phase is underway across multiple communities in the metropolitan city.
Why This Work Matters
People living with severe disabilities—and their caretakers—face daily challenges that often remain unseen:
- Limited access to therapy, medical assessments, and home-based care
- Physical, emotional, and financial strain on families
- Lack of community support systems or government-backed services
CSP aims to improve their Quality of Life (QoL) by highlighting these hardships to local government bodies and ensuring that their needs are acknowledged, understood, and addressed.
How We Support the Community
To guide effective intervention, BAS is conducting a comprehensive baseline assessment across all KMC wards. So far, 12 wards and over 100 households have been assessed. Two major needs consistently identified include:
- Home-based physiotherapy and basic health checkups
- A dedicated day-care center or hostel for individuals with severe disabilities
CSP is actively collaborating with government authorities to make these services available as public, sustainable, and accountable state-run models. Our goal is to ensure that persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their caregivers can access essential support close to home and live safer, healthier, and more dignified lives.