Welcome to
Kachhwa Christian Hospital
History
Kachhwa Bazar is a small rural town located in the district of Mirzapur in Easter Uttar Pradesh.
(1897 - 1929)
Kachhwa Christian Hospital was established in the year 1897 by Dr. Robert Ashton a doctor with London Missionary Society. Dr. Ashton and his wife were stationed in Benares. He would conduct regular tent medical camps in different locations. One of the places where he set up his tent was at the village of Kachhwa about 20 miles from Benares. Kachwa with a population of around three and a half thousand people, in a well-populated area was of some local importance because of the market held on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Dr. Ashton writes in his diary of the camp dispensary:
"Our work is chiefly done between the hours of 11 am and 3 pm, which is the time fixed when all and sundry may come to the tent to be treated for their ills. And come they do; a motley crowd, of all sorts and castes, and of every condition and complaint. Most come walking; a few of the very ill are carried by the willing shoulders of their friends, bedding and all, for the light wood and string native bedstead slung by a rope on a bamboo makes an excellent stretcher. Maybe a father trudges in several weary miles carrying his sick child on his back. Occasionally a richer man will be brought in on a native ekka or small springless cart, not much to his own advantage though, unless his malady is such as to be eased by rough jolting.”
The London Missionary Society decided that Kachhwa was a good place to set up a mission hospital and a site was purchased. Due to money problems progress was slow and the following year a small hut was built to use as a hospital. In 1895 further monetary problems led to the abandonment of the project and Robert, his wife Carrie and their small daughter were recalled to England.
Robert spent two years in England trying to raise money to build the hospital at Kachhwa. Once he was able to raise sufficient money he came back to India.
An old indigo factory at Kachhwa was for sale at a bargain price and was immediately bought. Renovations and repairs started. 'Two high factory chimneys were knocked down and that became the consulting rooms and operating rooms previously were huge iron tanks in which indigo was boiled”. Thus the hospital had humble beginnings.
Dr. Ashton served faithful until the late 1920s and was awarded Silver and gold Kaiser-i-Hind medals, the highest civilian honour in the country then by the government.
(1929 - 1972)
In 1929 after the retirement of Dr. Ashton the mission was handed over to Bible Churchmen’s missionary society. Dr. Neville Everard a BCMS doctor took up the leadership of the hospital. Again the hospital grew under his leadership to be one of the best and the most famous hospital for surgeries between the cities of Kolkata and Patna. With 120 – 150 beds the hospital had a nursing school that trained many local girls in nursing services. Even today the older generation remember Everard ‘Sahib’ fondly for his surgical skills and compassionate heart reflecting the love of Jesus Christ.
(1972 – 2002)
In the late 1960s with the introduction of new regulations on visas, most foreign healthcare workers had to go back to their respective countries. This meant hundreds of mission hospitals in the country were closed down. It was at this time that the idea of a federation of mission hospitals came into being. In 1969, the Emmanuel Hospital Association was formed and registered. Over the years, EHA has grown to be a fellowship of Christian health professionals, committed to bringing wholeness of life to the marginalized members of the varied communities.
Kachhwa Christian Hospital became a part of EHA and continued to function treating the poor and marginalised. Soon over the years, different types of challenges came up making it difficult to carry on the work. By the year 2002 the hospital was making a significant loss and was at the verge of shutting down when Dr. Raju Abraham and his wife Mrs. Catherine Abraham stepped in and decided to take up the challenge of running the hospital. Dr. Raju Abraham was a neuro-physician who had returned from England and was working with EHA based at Landour Community Hospital.
After Dr. Raju came, the hospital was downsized and initially the small medical team worked round the clock. Soon community work was started and various projects were initiated to uplift the poor and marginalised. Clinical Services, Community Health and Development, Education and Leadership development aimed at the holistic transformation of an individual became the focus.
This was in keeping with the WHO definition of health which focused on physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.
Over a period of time the hospital which was on the verge of closure was revived and started seeing a steady flow of patients. Through the community development initiatives hundreds of poor were helped with free services including cataract surgeries, hand pumps for potable water, toilets, etc.
Core Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Medical Team
The rest of the medical team consists of Dr. Stelcy (Dental Surgeon), Dr. Susanth George (Medical Officer), Dr. Aneetta (Medical Officer), Dr. Joel (Medical Officer), Dr. John Bunyan (Medical Officer), Dr. Benison P Baby (Medical Officer).
What Our Patients Say
