It is with a heart full of hope and gratitude that I write this message as the President of the Texas Nepalese Medical Association (TNMA) and Himalaya Health Clinic (HHC).

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  This is the WHO definition of health.  With the goal in mind of having a healthier community, the seeds for starting a free health clinic for the Nepalese community were planted in 2018 with the establishment of the Texas Nepalese Medical Association (TNMA).  As per the goal of TNMA, “Working together for a healthy community” the TNMA has been diligently working through the past few years to establish a free clinic for the local community in and around Euless and Irving.  Prior to this, local doctors and dentists were running free Health Camps since 2008 under the stewardship of the Nepalese Society of Texas (NST).

 In our early planning phase at TNMA, we realized that the task of running a free clinic should be delegated to a non-profit organization whose sole purpose would be to establish and run the free clinic. With this conclusion, the TNMA Executive Committee established Himalaya Health Center, (dba Himalaya Health Clinic) in May 2020, whose sole purpose would be to plan, strategize, establish, and then run the free clinic.

There were multiple challenges to achieving our goal. We needed a committed group of doctors, dentists, and nurses to pursue the noble goal of providing free healthcare to the uninsured in our community. We also needed the non-medical support staff, logistics and IT support to make a clinic viable and sustainable for the long term. We faced considerable challenges in locating a clinic space close to the Nepalese community. We are indebted to the Nepalese Cultural and Spiritual Center (NCSC) for providing us with the current clinic space at a non-profit rate. In the initial years, we had to diligently fundraise amongst ourselves and our volunteers. The Covid pandemic caused almost two years of delay in starting Himalaya Health Clinic due to remodeling and construction delays and supply chain delays for clinic equipment.

The Himalaya Health Clinic was opened in May 2020 and since inception over 700 patients have been taken care of in the clinic till January 2024. The HHC clinic has three medical exam rooms, a large dental suite, a registration office, a nurse’s intake room, and space for a phlebotomy lab. These clinic rooms and dental suites have been made possible by our various room sponsors who have generously donated $5000 each.

During the pandemic due to many Covid restrictions, our clinic planning was delayed. However, TNMA was busy doing Facebook live programs to educate the public on the COVID-19 virus and other important medical topics. The Second edition of Compassion Medical magazine was also published in December 2020. This magazine has useful medical articles with the purpose of educating the community on various medical topics.

Our journey, as members and supporters of the Texas Nepalese Medical Association, is one paved with dedication, resilience, and unwavering belief in the power of working together for a healthy community. The road to achieving our goals was long and not without challenges.  However, it is in the face of these challenges that our resolve has strengthened.  Today we gather together in support of our noble cause because we are not just raising funds; we are investing in the future good health of our community members. Every contribution made by our sponsors fuels our ability to keep the clinic running robustly, supports much-needed medical and dental equipment purchases, and enhances patient care initiatives.

As we look to the future, let us reaffirm our commitment to fostering growth, and sustainability, and increasing various medical services at Himalaya Health Clinic.  The path ahead is one of immense potential and promise, guided by our collective efforts and shared vision.

In closing, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Texas Nepalese Medical Association’s executive board members, TNMA Directors, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, IT personnel, non-medical volunteers, and many distinguished community members who have been actively helping at the Himalaya Health Clinic. I love our young volunteers who early in life are learning the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community.

Together, we are charting a course toward a healthier community, and it is my honor and privilege to embark on this journey with all of you.

With warm regards and deepest appreciation,

Sanjeeb Shrestha, MD, FACG

President, Texas Nepalese Medical Association and Himalaya Health Clinic

Euless, Texas