The Leprosy Services Centre, which has been providing free healthcare to the poor, disabled and chronically ill patients for the past 25 years, raised funds from several universities and other organisations in Europe and the US for the relief.

Last week, a team of officials led by Dr Graeme Clugston, medical superintendent at the centre, distributed relief to victims in Kapilakot, Baseshwor and Bhuwaneshwori VDCs of Sindhuli district. In the second phase, they provided relief materials to quake-affected people in Tauthali and Golche VDCs of Sindhupalchok district.

According to Suman Tamang, support service manager at the centre, the relief materials were distributed among 3,209 families in the villages. Altogether, the centre has provided 94 tonnes of rice, 9.6 tonnes of pulses, 6,418 litres of cooking oil, 3,209 kilograms of salt, 1,225 tarpaulins and 2,727 blankets, Tamang said, adding that the relief materials were provided to victims possessing identity cards in the presence of local bodies.

Tamang informed they also plan to provide relief worth Rs 2.8 million to around 2,000 families at Gumba VDC in Sindhupalchok before monsoon. According to Dr Clugston, the relief was distributed from donations received by Nepal Leprosy Trust from various organisations in Spain, Canada, Switzerland and the US. Clugston, who has been working at centre for the past nine years, said he has been distressed by seeing the plight of schools and students in the quake-affected areas.

“We distributed whatever relief we could,” he said, “We are now accumulating support for damaged schools in Sindhuli and their students.”