History

The history of HRDC starts with the vision of Prof. Dr. Ashok K Banskota. After returning to Nepal from medical training and board certification in New York, USA, in 1977, Dr. Banskota was appalled to see the lack of available services for disabled children. He began his small program offering services to the disabled poor in 1985. This initial program created a vision for change and services that has now become the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Disabled Children! From this small dream has come life changing service delivery to literally thousands of indigent Nepali children with physical disability!

In1985 Dr. Banskota started out in Jorpati, where a small hospital was built with help from Terre des homes (Tdh), a Swiss non-profit organization. In 1988 a new relationship was established with the American Himalayan Foundation, which helped HRDC further expand its services. In 1992, the ownership of the program was transferred to the Friends of the Disabled (FOD), a Nepalese non-governmental organization. The Friends of the Disabled continues to increase the number of children reached, by providing a comprehensive, high quality package of services; including hospital-based and field-based services to address the gap in care for children with physical disability in Nepal. With the help and support of additional donors such as the Luxembourg government and scouts, HRDC was able to relocate into our current comprehensive facilitiy in Banepa in 1997.



Thirty years later, in a brilliant turn of events for sustainability, Dr. Banskota's son, Dr. Bibek, followed in his footsteps! Dr. Bibek Banskota was introduced to hospitals and operating rooms from an early age. While growing up, he would accompany his father Dr. Ashok Banskota to work, and see the life changing impact his father had on underprivileged children and their families. Dr. Bibek Banskota has followed in his father's footsteps and specialized in orthopedics. He was trained and certified in the UK and Nepal, has now joined his father to continue dedicating their lives to changing the lives of Nepal’s disabled children and their families.
HRDC’s growth continues to benefit the disabled in Nepal. In 1993, our 54 staff members provided services to a total of 4,638 children with disabilities; of these, 515 cases included surgery. Over two decades later, HRDC now employs 230 staff, and in 2017, provided over 25,000 consultations and performed over 2,300 surgeries.