Dr. Gilbert Hosts: Bringing Deep Brain Stimulation to the People of Nepal
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has become a relatively common and successful surgical treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the United States. In other parts of the world, that is not the case. For this special edition of Dr. Gilbert Hosts, APDA is privileged to highlight the inspiring story of Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Nepal Neurosurgery (VTCNN). This partnership between the Carilion Clinic and neurosurgical providers in Nepal was established with the vision of empowering the Nepali neurosurgery community to bring world class neurosurgical care, including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders to all the people of Nepal, regardless of their financial situation. Surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease was previously unavailable to this population.
VTCNN, through established and evolving partnerships, seeks to transform the neurosurgery capacity of Nepal and build lasting cooperation between neurosurgeons in Nepal and the United States, serving as a model for other countries to grow their capacities.
Dr. Mark Witcher and Dr. Rajiv Jha will join us live from Nepal to tell us this the inspiring story of how this partnership came to be and about the Nepali people they have helped. They’ll highlight disparities in care across the world and tell how a small group of people can really make a difference.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Dr. Rajiv Jha
Dr. Rajiv Jha is a senior neurosurgeon with over 24 years of experience and more than 22,000 successful brain, spine, and peripheral nerve surgeries. He leads the Department of Neurosurgery at NAMS, Bir Hospital, and Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.
A Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Dr. Jha has received numerous international fellowships and national honors. He has published over 75 scientific papers and presented at 200+ national & international conferences. Dr. Jha is renowned for advancing neurosurgical care, education, and research in Nepal and globally.
Dr. Mark Witcher
Mark Witcher, MD, is a neurosurgeon based in Roanoke, VA, specializing in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. He completed his medical education at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University in 2009 and a residency in Neurological Surgery at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in 2015. He is currently an Associate Professor at Carilion Clinic where he is also Vice Chair of Research and Education in the Department of Neurosurgery. Along with his neurosurgery colleagues in Nepal, Dr. Witcher has spearheaded the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Nepal Neurosurgery collaboration.