Green Health Care Scholarship Spotlight
Veterinarian Brings Green Health Care to Nepal
By Niyati Desai, MA
Teleosis Institute’s Green Health Care movement has focused on addressing environmental sustainability within the American medical system by offering the Leadership In Green Health Care course to U.S. based health professionals. In 2007, a exceptional Nepalese veterinarian, Dr. Krishna Kaphle, contacted Teleosis to share his enthusiasm about our work and his interest in the course. “I am a student of the sustainable medicine school of thought and Green Health Care is too good for me to ignore,” Dr. Kaphle explained.
Dr. Kaphle earned his PhD researching the impact of herbal extracts on mice/rat reproduction from National Taiwan University in 2006. Additionally, Dr. Kaphle is published in over ten SCI research projects investigating herbal medicine and reproduction.
Dr. Kaphle’s interest in green health care is not new. He actively promotes an innovative medical approach to veterinary medicine, aiming for low inputs through ethno-veterinary care. In addition, he is an advocate for the integration of sustainable veterinary medicine to limit or eliminate the use of chemicals in animal food sources. Currently, Dr. Kaphle is working with The Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinics, Pathology and Theriogenology, based in Bharatpur, the Medical city of Nepal. In this position, Dr. Kaphle serves as the team leader of the research and clinic service improving committee. His research is focused on such topics as herbal medicine, animal behavior, and biodiversity conservation. “Understanding life and sustainable ways to safer evolution is my mission,” Dr. Kaphle explains.
Becoming aware of the true economic disparities between Nepalese and American health providers, the Teleosis Institute developed the Green Health Care Scholarship Fund in an effort to integrate international interest into the sustainable medicine movement. Krishna is the leading provider focusing on sustainable medicine for the developing nation of Nepal.
Since graduating from Leadership in Green Health Care in 2007, Krisha has dedicated himself to spreading the values and vision of Teleosis to Nepal. “We are currently setting up a Teleosis-Nepal education center and developing basic and advanced Green Health Care courses for nurses at Bharatpur. We are planning on conducting research and offering education on the need for GHC in the development of Nepal as we emerge from our old cocoon and lobby for government policy to prioritize sustainable medicine. This is one of my main goals.” Thanks to Krishna’s dedication and commitment to sustainable medicine, students are requesting Green Health Care be integrated in the post-graduate courses.
Additionally, Krishna is guiding the students of SOS, an orphanage in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal in environmental clean-up and pollution prevention awareness. For the underserved youth, Krishna serves as a Coach and Health Educator with regular evening sessions of football and health care awareness. He also works for the Red Cross, educating on safety about issues such as land-mines and natural disaster preparedness. In addition to all this great work, Krishna also serves as the charter secretary of the Lions Club of Chitwan Central to address health and environment care.
With his vision and motivation, Krishna exemplifies the concept of leadership in the green medicine movement. He describes, “I am now adopting, teaching and practicing GHC principles in every walk of my life.” Our appreciation goes out to Dr. Krishna Kaphle who has spread the vision of Leadership in Green Health Care to Nepalese students and communities.
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Krishna teaches courses on Green Health Care to colleagues and students.
“Understanding life and sustainable ways to safer evolution is my mission.”
- Krishna Kaphle
Krishna and his Green Health Care students
“We are planning on conducting research and offering education on the need for GHC in the development of Nepal as we emerge from our old cocoon and lobby for government policy to prioritize sustainable medicine. This is one of my main goals.”
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