TAPTING: The 7 Summit Foundation (7SF) has formally opened Everest Buddha View Park near Pikey Peak in Solukhumbu district, aiming to attract domestic and international tourists to the region.
 
Buddha View Park is located between Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga districts, near Pikey Peak, which stands at an elevation of 2,930 meters.
 
In coordination with local stakeholders, including municipality representatives, 7SF invested nearly Rs 6 million to construct the view park, said 7SF President AC Sherpa, adding that the park will help promote the mountain region in the global tourism market. “This is a model project that not only helps promote the region but also preserves local cultural diversity,” Sherpa said.
 
The community will now own and operate the park, while 7SF will continue contributing toward building a garden, hiking trails, public restrooms and a museum to promote local tourism to Pikey Peak, according to Sherpa.
 
On the sidelines of the park’s formal opening, 7SF conducted an initial H. pylori screening campaign in Tapting village, Sherpa said. The foundation launched the health initiative to assess H. pylori infection within the local community, understand potential public health concerns and create awareness as a starting point for a broader nationwide testing and prevention campaign.

 
Senior Physician Dr. Arun Thapa, who carried out the testing, said H. pylori infection is becoming a major public health concern in Nepal. According to him, a total of 95 people participated in the initial screening. Of them, 33 people (34.7%) tested positive and 62 people (65.3%) tested negative. “Twenty-one out of 59 female participants and 12 out of 36 male participants tested positive.”

H. pylori is a bacterium that infects the stomach and can remain in the body for years without noticeable symptoms. If left untreated, it can cause chronic gastritis and stomach inflammation, peptic ulcers and other digestive complications, and increase the long-term risk of developing stomach cancer. H. pylori is a recognized major risk factor for stomach cancer. However, not everyone infected develops ulcers or cancer. Early diagnosis and appropriate medical treatment can significantly reduce the risk of serious complications. This is not simply an individual health concern; it is an important public health issue that deserves nationwide attention.
 
“Although this small sample does not represent the infection rate of the entire Nepali population, the findings highlight the importance of expanding research, testing and public awareness throughout Nepal,” Sherpa said.
 
Sherpa said the government should launch a nationwide H. pylori public awareness and prevention campaign and provide free H. pylori testing for Nepali citizens, particularly in rural, remote and underserved communities. He added that free or affordable treatment and appropriate medical follow-up are equally needed for people who test positive.

 
Educating communities about H. pylori infection, stomach ulcers and its association with increased stomach cancer risk could help establish a national health strategy for coordinated screening, research, prevention and treatment to reduce the long-term burden of stomach cancer in Nepal, Sherpa said.
 
At Tapting, Tej Rai contributed 150 H. pylori testing kits, which helped support the community health initiative, according to Sherpa. He said the initial screening in Tapting is only the beginning. “Our goal is to raise nationwide awareness and encourage a broader public health initiative so that every Nepali community has access to H. pylori testing, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment,” Sherpa said.
 
Sherpa, who has climbed mountains on all seven continents, founded the foundation with the aim of supporting needy communities in Nepal. The foundation has already supported the reconstruction of a building for Tapting Secondary School, which was destroyed in an earthquake in Solukhumbu district. It has also provided educational and livelihood support to Solsing, a remote village in Sindhupalchok district.