Distance and cost can prevent people in rural Nepal from accessing ear care. Hospitals are often located within cities and unreachable to some of those in need. At Rivan Health Post in rural Nepal, three rooms became an ear clinic for two days in March 2026. NELUMBO Nepal screened 201 people, providing examinations, ear cleaning, hearing tests and treatment according to individual needs. The camp shows the benefits of free hearing care in Nepal and how it is helping people get the treatment they need without taking a long journey.

Bringing Care Closer

Founded in 2017, NELUMBO Nepal provides support to disadvantaged communities through health, education and environmental programs. Its Dental Care and Ear Care projects address a problem rural residents often face: most health services are in cities, leaving few options close to home.

At the March 14-15 camp in Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, the team distributed medicine and provided counseling alongside examinations. Staff removed earwax through syringing for 50 people and identified eight people with perforated eardrums. They referred 15 patients requiring further surgical treatment and medication to specialist hospitals in Pokhara, according to NELUMBO.

Protecting Health and Opportunity

Hearing care in Nepal also broaches the wider conversation about poverty. The World Health Organization recognizes limited access to education and employment among some of the consequences of neglected hearing loss. Globally, nearly 60% of childhood hearing loss is due to avoidable causes, according to WHO. This highlights the importance of prevention, alongside early identification and appropriate care.

WHO notes that ear exams and hearing tests can take place within local communities. Depending on a person’s needs, care may also include hearing aids, sign language or rehabilitation. Identifying hearing loss early helps connect people with the support that works best for them.

Making Specialist Treatment Affordable

EarAid Nepal supports both ear outreach services and the International Nepal Fellowship’s Ear Treatment and Training Center at Green Pastures Hospital in Pokhara, which opened in November 2015. The center performed more than 2,000 ear operations during its first six years after opening, according to EarAid Nepal.

EarAid also supports training for local personnel, helping develop the skills needed to provide services in Nepal and support patients who need ongoing care beyond a visiting camp.

A Family Finds Treatment Nearby

An August 2025 report from CBM Australia shared the story of Srijana, a teenager in rural Nepal who still had ear pain after visiting a medical center. She heard a radio announcement about a free screening camp organized by Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh through a project supported by CBM in Karnali Province.

Doctors found that both Srijana and her father required surgery. They later received free operations near their home, bypassing the expense and distance of seeking care elsewhere. Follow-up visits showed that both were healing well, CBM reported.

For this family, free hearing care in Nepal meant receiving treatment without traveling far from home or an unaffordable bill. Their experience emphasizes the importance of accessible ear care in Nepal for the many people who suffer without the treatment they need.

– Mia Lomonaco

Mia is based in Chicago, Illinois, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay