We are working in an extraordinary place
Manali, the site of The Himalayan Health Center, is the gateway to the western Trans-Himalayas in India - a region cut off from modern civilization and accessible healthcare for seven months each year due to heavy snow accumulations.
The resident population of Manali is over 500,000.
When combined with the nomadic and Tibetan refugee settlements of the Trans-Himalayan regions, this population reaches over 700,000.
The need for health services is great
At present there are only two small hospitals in Manali with a combined capacity for only 35 in-patients to serve a population of 700,000.
The closest hospital with full surgical capabilities is over 200 miles away across mountainous roads and Himalayan Mountain passes over 14,000 feet high, often traveled on foot.
Traveling long distances for healthcare is a monumental struggle for the people of Manali and the surrounding region, where the average yearly income is only $476 per family.