How Possible Supports Healthcare Delivery in Nepal Going Forward

May 28, 2020 - Possible Board of Directors

This year, as Possible marks its 11th anniversary, we also acknowledge having reached an important juncture. Our Nepali implementation partner, Nyaya Health Nepal (NHN), is now leading efforts to design healthcare solutions that are most needed in remote areas of the country. Our experiences have demonstrated that impact at scale begins with national ownership and operations.

In reflecting on the new direction of Possible, the following changes are planned, to be completed on or before the end of our fiscal year July 31, 2020:

  1. Possible will focus on: a) fundraising efforts to support NHN’s life-saving healthcare delivery efforts in rural Nepal; and b) continuing research, training, and academic partnerships. We will operate in close collaboration with the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at Mount Sinai to manage our existing National Institutes of Health research portfolio and engage with partners in Nepal. Our affiliate faculty at Harvard, Boston University, University of Washington, and University of California, San Francisco, will continue to be engaged in our efforts in Nepal.
  2. The current board of directors will transition the governance of the organization to a new board of directors. The new board will include Isha Nirola, Possible’s former Community Health Director and Possible co-founder and academic psychiatrist Dr. Bibhav Acharya, along with Possible co-founder and academic physician Dr. Duncan Maru.
  3. Possible will reduce its overall payroll expenses and number of full time employees, with additional staffing supported through academic partnerships. 
  4. Our CEO, Dr. Gita Pillai, has lent her wisdom and experience which has proven crucial in this time of transition. Dr. Gita is stepping aside from her current role as CEO while continuing to support the team, as needed, as we transition. We are immensely grateful for Dr. Gita’s grace and commitment during these extraordinary times.
  5. Going forward, Nyaya Health Nepal will engage directly with institutional supporters. Possible, as a US-based 501c3 nonprofit, will continue to accept tax-exempt charitable donations and channel funds directly to Nyaya Health Nepal.

We are ever grateful for our extended network of colleagues, friends, and partners. So many of you have supported patient care and health services that reach people in their homes, as well as at health centers and hospitals, in remote and underserved areas of Nepal. Your contributions have made a huge impact on the health of vulnerable communities, while strengthening local health systems. Thank you for being with us on this journey.

Isha Nirola, DrPHc, MPH, Incoming Board Chair, Possible
Former Director of Community Health, Possible

Bibhav Acharya, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF School of Medicine
Co-Founder, Possible

Duncan Maru, MD, PHD
Senior Faculty, Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Attending Physician, NYC Health & Hospital / Elmhurst Hospital Center
Co-Founder, Possible

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