UK FRIENDS OF BHAKTAPUR CANCER HOSPITAL
(UKFOBCH)

SMRITI BHAWAN PROJECT

5 High Leys Drive, Ravenshead
Nottingham, NG15 9HQ
Tel: 01623 490789
B.Pradhanntlworld.com

INTERIM REPORT ON SMRITI BHAWAN PROJECT
26 November 2006

It gives me great pleasure to present this interim report on this International Project to mark the end of the second year of this three year Project and also to report on my recent social cum promotional visit to Kathmandu for six weeks.

In September before my planned visit to Nepal I discussed with the Executive Committee and we decided to concentrate the fund raising during the third year mostly by targeting the general populations of Kathmandu Valley which is more than three million now. We also decided to do this by advertisements as Public Service Announcements (PSA) through the media in Nepal. As we are not allowed to spend donors’ funds on administration according to the constitution of UKFOBCH, we raised £500.00 for this purpose through voluntary contributions of £50.00 each from ten members of the UKFOBCH.

On 9 October I attended the first meeting of the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital - Smriti Bhawan Committee chaired by Gopal Kakshapati and I on behalf of UKFOBCH reported on the activities of UKFOBCH including promotions of the Project in UK and US and the number of pledges received from these countries.

Chairman Gopal expressed his disappointment that the planned demolition of the old Bhaktapur Hospital building and laying the foundation of the new building during the second year could not materialise. As a result they are missing out on many potential donors.

Chairman of BCH Management Committee Diwakar Rajkarnikar reported that there have been some local difficulties on the proposed demolition of the old Bhaktapur Hospital building although it is in a dilapidated condition. In 1990 the Bhaktapur Hospital gave this building informally to Nepal Cancer Relief Society to establish Bhaktapur Cancer Care Centre but there was no actual legal transaction. Because BCH does not have legal ownership it could not go ahead with demolition work. Besides that there is some opposition from certain people against the demolition claiming it to be a historical building. So it still belongs to the Government of Nepal Ministry of Health. Chairman Gopal reported that it is a big set back as many donors and potential donors are eager to see construction being started. I proposed to the Committee that we should also be prepared for other options like planning a new site within BCH or even acquiring some nearby land although the demolition and construction over the old building site still is the most attractive option.

On the 8th of October I was invited to speak at the 8th Anniversary Ceremony of BCH and as a result two journalists in turn approached me to interview me to promote the Project through their TV programmes. The first one was from Star Media who interviewed me on a programme called Dristi on the Image TV promoting Smriti Bhawan Project. Following that I immediately negotiated with Image TV to broadcast a PSA on Smriti Bhawan Project from that week for one and half minute each for six times a week at peak hours for two months and then to broadcast whenever they get a free slot for the price of Rs.67.500 equivalent to £500.00.

Secondly a producer from Kantipur TV, Binod Adhikary interviewed me extensively once again with the objective of promoting Smriti Bhawan Project. As Kantipur TV is the most popular TV channel in Nepal I negotiated for PSA advertisement at half the normal commercial rate and got a quotation of Rs.267,000 for four slots of one and half minute daily during prime times for three months. Binod got very interested in Smriti Bhawan Project and promised to do a lot more like further TV interviewing and organising press conference to promote the Project in a big way.

On 27 October I attended the meeting of BCH Management Committee and all the advisors including both the members of parliament from Bhaktapur, the Chief District Officer of Bhaktapur and the Chief Executive Officer of Bhaktapur Municipality also attended the meeting. Everybody unanimously supported the demolition of the old building to construct the Smriti Bhawan and advised the Management Committee to take immediate steps to approach Ministry of Health for legal transfer of the old building. They all promised to help as they could in their capacities including lobbying the Government.

The most important development at BCH this year is the recent donation of a Linear Accelerator by an organisation called Medicine Mondiale in New Zealand. They have purchased the Linac from US and have already shipped. The Honourable Minister of Health laid the foundation for the new bunker during the Anniversary Ceremony on 8 October. All being well the treatment with Linac should start in about six months time. As coincidence would have it a Senior Therapy Radiographer Nicky Clements from Royal Marsden Hospital, UK has approached me just before I left for Nepal offering herself to work as a volunteer at BCH for three months sometime next year. She has the experience of working with Linac for 12 years and she would help training the BCH technicians.

On 2 November I attended the final meeting of Smriti Bhawan Committee and reported the developments during my stay in Nepal including the PSA advertisement on Image TV. I also recommended to the Committee to try and raise Rs.270,000 through sponsorships to pay for the advertisement through Kantipur TV but the Committee felt that they should first wait for the outcome of the PSA through Image TV. Chairman Gopal reported his plans of promoting the Project by personally speaking to the Rotary Clubs and other organisations.

Binod from Kantipur TV voluntarily attended the meeting with his TV crew and interviewed each member of the SBC Committee including Chairman Gopal for their roles on the Project with a view to broadcast for the promotion of the Project. Kantipur has just emailed me yesterday that it is organising a big Press Conference on Smriti Bhawan inviting the journalists from all over Nepal.

I am very pleased to report that every member of SBC Committee are confident and reassured me of a successful completion of the Project. I am hoping that sometime in future the Committee might reconsider on PSA advertisement through Kantipur TV to achieve that.

So far we have received firm pledges from nineteen donors in UK, five from US and sixty four in Nepal to a total of eighty eight. Further five from UK and more than a dozen in Nepal are seriously considering pledging bringing the total to little over one hundred out of target of two hundred.

Bibek Pradhan

Executive Committee & Board of Trustees
Dr. Bibek Pradhan (Chairman)
Dr. Subarna Shrestha
Dr. Basanta Shrestha