Benchen Free Clinic Swayambunath

Two great Tibetan Buddhist Masters, Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and the Venerable Tenga Rinpoche  have been each other’s students and teachers over many life times and built the Benchen Phuntsok Darjeeling Monastery situated near the renowned Swayambhu Stupa in Kathmandu  in 1985. Tenga Rinpoche kindly gave one of the Gompa buildings to be established as the Benchen Free Clinic. It was very important to him that the Gompa would provide both spiritual guidance as well as free medical care. Tenga Rinpoche died in 2012 but his legacy and his vision continue to manifest as his students eagerly await news of his rebirth.

The clinic has been open 5 days per week since 1993  and Dr. Chhiring sees both the monastic and the local lay population. The Benchen Free Clinic has gained a wide spread reputation and some patients come for free medical and dental care from villages as far as 40 kilometers away . The clinic has a laboratory for performing basic blood, urine and sputum tests and an X-ray department. Dr Ajit Khandal, a Nepali Internist comes several times per week to see the more difficult and complicated cases.

In 1998 the Benchen Free Clinic opened a Dental clinic with very modern dental equipment donated by two Polish Dentists who visit yearly donating their services. In 2015 the HMF hired it’s first full time Dentist, Dr. Karma Dolma and her assistant Saru Serchen who now treat patients with dental problems each morning 5 days per week. They both have quickly become a wonderful addition to the HMF staff.