Remi Drozd volunteers health care services to underserved regions in Nepal

Remi Drozd, D.O., UNECOM ’07, has embarked on a three-month mission in Manang, Nepal to volunteer health care services at a high-altitude aid-post.

With a population of 3,000 people, the village of Manang rests at an altitude of 11,500 feet and is a six-day walk from the nearest civilization. Without the assistance of volunteers like Drozd, residents would otherwise have no access to healthcare.

The town is also a stop along the popular Annapurna Circuit, visited by more than 100 trekkers daily. These travelers often fall ill to life-threatening illnesses such as High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), which require immediate intervention from doctors on location. The availability of trained professionals like Drozd often mean the difference between life and death for these individuals.

Drozd also teaches daily lectures to trekkers about acute mountain sickness, placing emphasis on early detection, and preventative measures.

This mission is part of Drozd’s wilderness medicine fellowship with the Wilderness Medical Society, and is organized by the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), a non-profit organization operating two medical clinics in Nepal since 1981.

Follow Drozd’s exploits at http://remidrozd.com.