International Day of UN Peacekeepers: Hinasha Thapa, Nepal

UNMISS International Day of UN Peacekeepers COVID-19  South Sudan Peacekeepers Nepal Doctor

Lieutenant Hinasha Thapa, a 27-year-old army officer and a medical doctor from Nepal, is serving a a Senior Medical Officer with UNMISS.

24 May 2021

International Day of UN Peacekeepers: Hinasha Thapa, Nepal

Priyanka Chowdhury

Lieutenant Hinasha Thapa is a 27-year-old army officer and a medical doctor from Nepal. In this short interview, this young, committed peacekeeper speaks about serving for peace in the world’s youngest nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tell us about your job at UNMISS and the impact you feel you have had on the ground?

I joined my country’s army in 2018 and was deployed to serve with UNMISS in 2020. As everyone is aware, it’s been a year of unprecedented suffering across the world with the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’m a Senior Medical Officer here in South Sudan with 10 peacekeepers reporting to me. From the time we had boots on the ground, we started our response to the pandemic. My medical team has been responsible for routine health checks, procuring necessary medical supplies and managing isolations and quarantines. Prevention and protection have been our guiding principles when it comes to our troops. We needed to make sure that everybody was conversant with the health and safety protocols endorsed by the World Health Organization.

Most importantly, we had to make sure that our peacekeepers did not become vectors of transmission themselves. Therefore, we worked with all contingents and mission leadership to make sure peacekeepers could continue serving the South Sudanese population without placing them at risk. Now that vaccinations are rolling out worldwide, me and my team are also tasked with procuring and administering vaccines to peacekeepers as well as monitoring for any adverse reactions.

All this is in addition to being ready to deploy at very short notice whenever medical assistance is required by peacekeepers.

What do you like most about your role at UNMISS?

I think, for me it’s a combination of contributing to a cause larger than myself while dealing with unique challenges. There’s nothing quite like being in a multicultural environment in a deep field location. You’ve got to be quick to adapt and learn to think on your feet. There are learning opportunities around every corner—I’ve gained so much from being around military, civilian and police colleagues from across the world.

Another special thing is representing my country on a global stage. It’s a matter of great pride for me. Being a medical officer in a UN peacekeeping mission demands a very high degree of alertness, preparedness, and discipline.

What’s one thing you have learned since starting your mission?

I think I’ve learned to be a better communicator. In a peace operation as large as UNMISS, with so many moving parts, you have got to be on top of your game in terms of coordinating with other colleagues. Even a very minor detail can define life or death for colleagues and the innocent civilians we are here to protect. So, there’s very little margin for error.