BETHESDA HOSPITAL, AMBUR, VELLORE DISTRICT, TAMILDADU. INDIA
History of Bethesda Hospital:
American Missionaries as a roadside clinic started Bethesa Hospital in the year 1921. It gradually developed in to a 200 bedded secondary care multi-specialty charitable Mission hospital; providing secondary level health care to majority of poor and middle class society in and around Ambur without discrimination of caste, creed and religion.
Bethesda Hospital is situated in Ambur town, with a population of more than one lakh and is surrounded by approximately 60 villages and hamlets. The hospital with a campus area of 35 acres serves the health need of very large segment of the rural populations. Patients come from the nearby larger towns such as Vaniyambadi, Pernambut, Gudiyattam, Jolarpet, Nattrampalli and Tirupattur but socially also from Districts like Salem, Dharmapuri and Kuppam. Also we serve through our community Health Programmes at Nayakkaneri and Kattukollai – hill stations.
Background of the Institution:
Bethesda is a Hebrew word meaning “House of Mercy”. In Jewish belief it was the name given to a pool, that when stirred by an angel produced healing to those who first entered it thereafter. Miss. Angela Rehwinkle an American missionary nurse and Dr. Dodelein, who founded the hospital initially as a 16 bedded hospital, chose the name Bethesda to signify the healing that would take place here. During the early year, Miss. Angela Rehwinkle managed the hospital single handedly. Subsequently dedicated doctors such as Mr. J.C. Williams, Mr. Kalyan, Mr. Eapen Benjamin and Mr. Nallathambi joined the institution. In 1950 Dr. W.F. Bulle a dynamic and surgeon, through his devoted services enlisted the support of the Wheat Ridge Foundation to sponsor a tuberculosis control project within the municipal limits of Ambur. The Ambur municipality, pleased with the hospital’s service rendered to its community, donated one lakh rupees towards a tuberculosis project.
A leprosy programme was started in the outskirts of Ambur catering y to an area up to Pallikonda. This with started with 4 paramedical workers and financial support from the German Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA) with its head quarters in Chennai.
After years of running, Dr. A.S. Fenn, MS, FACA, FRCA, a renowned surgeon, together with a dedicated team of workers among who was Dr. Malati Jadhav, an eminent pediatrician, transformed the traditional mission hospital into multispeciality Health Care Center offering quality services and modern amenities. It soon became a model for various other mission hospitals.
After the demise of Dr. A.S. Fenn, Dr. J.K. Joel Nesaraj, Md, DTCD (UK) having been instrumental in the revival of the hospital and with an experience spanning several decades was appointed as Director. Since then, the hospital has been marching towards the development in aspects considerably till date.
Bethesda Hospital is known for conducting many Community Health Programmes that help the poor and many of them are Government supported or Sponsored Programmes.
They are such as : -
· Family Planning
· Infant Care Programme
· Leprosy Control Programme
· Tuberculosis Control Programme
· Urban Community Hewalth Programmes
· Rural Community Health Programmes
· Trauma Care
· CeMONC Centres
· Mortuary Service
· Blood bank
· Integrated Child Care Project (ICCP)
· The Community Care Project
· The Care and Treatment programme of APAC
· Integrated Counseling and Testing Center (ICTC)
· Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission
Out of the above, Leprosy Control Programme and Tuberculosis Control Programme were mainly taken care by the Bethesda Hospital.
Leprosy Control Programme
Leprosy Control Programme was a government Programme. The Government of Tamil Nadu also allotted the geographical area to Bethesda Hospital. So Bethesda Hospital took care of all the leprosy cases from Vellore to Alangayam. The Leprosy Control Programme was functioning under the Tamil Nadu State Leprosy Officer. Dr. Gangadhar who was appointed as Chief and he was assisted by two non-medical supervisors (one was from Bethesda Hospital, Ambur and one was deputed from Tamil Nadu Government) and five Para Medical Workers from Bethesda Hospital. The LCP team covered all the areas viz., Ambur, Alangayam, Odukathur and also from Ambur to Pallikonda which was started in 1973.
Cases with deformity were referred to the hand surgery to the Schefflin Research Hospital at Karigiri, when Dr. Paul Brand, M.S. renowned expert was doing hand surgeries on those days. The prevalence and incredible of Leprosy in North Arcot has come down remarkably through the years for which the construction of the Leprosy Control Team of Bethesda was substantial. The project was partly supported, guided and supervised by the State Leprosy Officer. The German Leprosy Relief Sassdociation (GLRA) gave the financial support. There was in-patients facility for treating Leprosy patients in Bethesda Hospital then.
Tuberculosis control programme:
Tuberculosis Control Programme was started in 1960 and it was first in New town, this covered Vaniyambadi with an instrument – fluroscent microscope and the entire Ambur. In Ambur, the team of TCP conducted house to house survey of the TB patients. In that periods, Mass Miniature Radiography was introduced in continuation of test for Culture and Sensitivity for sputum. In introduction of the above two, Bethesda Hospital, Ambur was the first one in he Madras State (Tamil Nadu State).
Bethesda Hospital was chosen as one of the Microscopic Center of Revised National Tuberculosis Control programme. It was initially started by DR. Wolfgang Frederick Bulley, MD (Austria), Medical Superintendent, Bethesda Hospital in 1950. Those days Tuberculosis was rampant in Madras State (Tamil Nadu State). To treat all the affected people he installed a separate new TB ward and started to treat the patients as an in-patient. There were some auto rickshaws and two Willy jeeps were in use to bring the patients to the hospital regularly and they were treated with free diet. They were given free medicines - the Government of Tamil Nadu supplied drugs free of cost for these affected patients. Those patients who were infected with serious TB and who were on requirement of surgical treatment were referred to the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore for further necessary management and admitted in thoracic unit for further treatment at free of cost. It was continued till 1960.
In 1961 Dr.Pappan Benjamin and Dr. Pusshell undertook TCP and the programme which was continued completely with the financial help of Wheat Ridge foundation, U.S.A. In 1971 when Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Pushell were left, and Dr. Balasundaram Manoharan, M.B.N.S., took charge of the programme till 1982.
In TCP, wheat, milk powder, egg powder, cheese and all necessary edible foods were supplied to the patients free of cost to improve their health and speedy recovery.
With the increasing number of HIV infected, tuberculosis is a common threat.
Bethesda hospital works closely with the government by supplying free anti-tuberculosis therapy (DOTS – Directly Observed Treatment Short term).
Since the RNTCP (Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme) with DOTS therapy started in 2003, upwards of a hundred patients were successfully treated within the first year itself sand continuously considerable number of patients is being treated every year.
Bethesda nursing school;
The School of Nursing was started in 1997 with an intake of 20 students a year. These students are actively involving in Community Health Programmes in the surroundings rural villages and urban slums. The Vinnamangalam Village is currently adopted by the hospital for community care. Regular visits, ante-natal and post natal care to the mothers, referral services, counseling, periodical medical camps, awareness camps, immunization camps, and training of volunteers in the community are taken care by the students under the supervision of the well qualified and experienced instructors and doctors. Nearly, 160 students have successfully completed their Diploma course in Nursing and they got employment in different places in country and abroad.
Multi-specialty hospital:
· Medicine
· Pediatrics
· Surgery
· Obstetrics & Gynecology
· Orthopedic Surgery
· Pediatric Surgery
· Neuro surgery
· Anesthesia
· Otolaryngology
· Ophthalmology
· Radiology
· Dentistry
· Physiotherapy
· Dietary
· Emergency services
· Laboratory services-Biochemistry, Microbiology and Clinical Pathology
· Pharmacy
· Medical Records
· Dialysis Unit
· HIV/AIDS Care and Support Programmes
· Trauma Care Unit
· Mortuary Mobile Van Service
Education:
· Diploma in Nursing started in 1997
· Bachelor’s degree in Hospital Information Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology and Radiography started in 2003 affiliated to Distance Education Programme under Manipal University.
Conclusion:
Bethesda hospital right from its inception takes a bigger role by its dedicated service in providing the health care to the people not only of Ambur town and also its surrounding villages and towns, of course from neighboring Districts too. Indeed, Bethesda has been functioning as a carrier to take the Government health programmes to the rural, tribal and urban slum areas of the District and implements them successfully. The people have always looked towards to this hospital for quality compassionate health care since the last 80 years. Hospital too, is committed to develop its service to meet the growing need of the people.
DEVOTION
ARTICLE – 1
HOW TO BE WON OUR BODY
The common existing belief in the world of human mind is the total function of the human body is considered as human being. The existing belief “ what we meat is our body” is same a drop of water is separate entity in this world. In taking and out sending process of breathing in our body is not a continuous process by our own effort. It is spontaneous and nature has set up this process to be run in 24 hours whether we are in conscious or unconscious that is in deep sleep. When our body function becomes abnormal in any sense, or when our body failures to function partly or fully, then we started to feel pain and fell down in agony. When our body is treated to the normal functional condition, then the human being feels normal and happy. So the life of all human being is based on the health.
But the belief what we have is we mean our body - is correct or not? Our all-traditional scriptures are saying we are not meant our body. Our body and soul are not same in the meaning or functioning of body only. Spontaneous function of our body is purely impossible. It has to be assisted by the SOUL and without an assistance of soul, our body will not be alive.
As per all of our religious sayings, a sort of meditation to be done in regular will make us wealthy and healthy in our life. First we should be clearly known that we are separated as soul and body within us. We have to meditate again and again this fact that we are not completely meant for body. We are completely meant for soul only. Whenever remember we should be always realizing that we are not body but we meant for soul only.
If we start to lead our life with the above sort of meditation, then gradually we will forget to give more importance to our body and we will start to realize we are soul and automatically we will be closely connected with our Holy Spirit.
At the outcome of our above continuous meditation, all our feelings and life will be spreading to brighter view and all our efforts will be showered with all sorts of blessings for well-to-do status. We will be freed from all kinds of our body disorders and life disorders. A special kind of freedom will be given to us by doing this type of meditation. Try to feel again and again that I am not this body. And try to be and live always beyond the body. Then in our life, in an unexpected and un imaginary manner, lot of new resurrections will be happening spontaneously and continuously. The above sort of Meditation should be done deeply in each and every minute. Even if you believe it or not, you are part of the Holy Spirit who created the World, Galaxy and all celestial things.
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ARTICLE – 2
SIMPLE WAY TO BE ALWAYS WITH HOLY SPIRIT
In the current path of world, every human being is facing a lot of disappointments and frustrations. What are the causes for the above said evil elements that are operating every human being in day-to-day life? It is very clearly pictured that Mankind of the current world has been addicted in the mind and body and not with the soul and devotion. Being attached with soul and God – what does it mean exactly? Man thinks, for being attached with soul and God, he has to be as a discipline or saint and he has to neglect all the worldly things whether they are all necessary to him or not. There are three salient activities to do continuously in our day-to-day life by which, within ours, unlimited excitement, health and devotional feelings will start to be emerged.
The above said three salient are: -
· Take breath in as much depth as possible and do breath out.
· More quantity of “in taking water” as much as we can
· Less sleeping timings
Whenever you remembered, minimum for 4 times, take your breath deeply as much as you can and breathe out. It will change your usual breathing style and create your spiritual life ness in full extent.
By taking enormous quantity of water when your conscious day timings that is at least a sip of water for every 10 minutes span of life, will lessen your body heat and may not enhance the same.
Sleeping in more spans of hours will make dull our body even in doing our normal activities. Moreover, for every healthy person, sleeping from 4 to 6 hours maximum is more than enough per day.
By doing all the above activities daily, a remarkable, unbelievable soul power changes will automatically be occurred.
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ARTICLE - 3
EMERGENCE OF BLISS
Dullness or laziness is an evil element to everybody, which affects always our progress in an entire manner. The above evil element will emerge only when we feel ourselves as sole entity in our mind. But if you feel be detached from the above feelings, then the emergence of any kind of strength will become automatically effortful and supportive to our soul. When you feel that you are not curtailed or fenced to particular limited circumference, then the bliss or ecstasy will be started to merge as your key strength. For such emergence of ecstasy, the below stated meditation will be helpful. Close your eyes and be seated in relaxed posture. As balloon expands by in taking of wind slowly, you feel yourself that you are expanding by your appearance in all the four directions including up and downward directions. First you start to feel that you have expanded up to the level or limit of your house, then start to feel up to the level or limit of earth, firmament, celestial space, galaxy etc., etc., and in the final stage you feel that all sun, moon, stars etc., is being occupied within you. If you do this meditation often, your will power (or) soul power will be emerged within you astonishingly. This is apt meditation to do anybody.
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ARTICLE - 4
FINEST WAY TO DEFEAT THE OUTCOME OF JOY AND SORROW
As per every human being the final outcome of every joy is sorrow and the final outcome of every sorrow is joy. In fact every joy or sorrow will not be last longing ever an hours itself. Everything is fading in its colour as the seconds are changing from future to present and present to past.
Every man knows that all joys that are faced by him in an unexpected manner or in an expected manner are going to end in an hour or day or in a week. Bur his efforts are always facing to attain such fickle natured joys. A sorrow faced by every human being is also in the same category. Every sorrow that is faced by the human being in an unexpected manner or in expected manner is also going to fade out or end in an hour or day or in a week. It is also not going to be constant. But he afraid to face such sorrows as it is going to be constant with him.
Man afraid to face all joys and sorrows those are going to fade or change in an opposite form. What is the way for human being in order not to fear of if any joy or sorrow changes in to an opposite form.
One of the way to escape from all joys and sorrows is to destroy completely all our instincts and feelings of our life. If we do so, we cannot feel happiness in all our joys and we cannot be sad in all our sorrows. For example if we destroy the taste buds of our tongue, then we are not going to feel the taste of sweet or bitter or anything else. If our eyes become blind, then we cannot differentiate between dawn and dusk. Whether it mis good or bad, being in a state of feeling less in every thing definitely we have a temparament to see all the goods and bads in a common angle. But in one way this is equal to change our spiritual functioning body in to the dead body.
Majority of the people those who are all wanted to be detached from the worldly things are selecting the above said method. But our all-ancient scriptures insisting a special method to be escaped from all the impermanent lightening of joys and sorrows. That is when ever you had a joy to feel, you have to be immersed in that and with full attention and you have to feel them face-to-face without any distractions. Also, whenever you face any sort of sorrow, you have to face them all straight and you have to be mingled with them inseparably. If we do or live in our life at all the time of facing joy and sorrows then we would be beyond the stage of joy and sorrow.
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ARTICVLE - 5
BE PRESENT AND IGNORE PAST AND FUTURE
In all our Indian and even in worldly scriptures, there was a method insisting for the welfare of human mind to be amicable in all ways and in all the times.
That is “Be Present In The Present Momemt”. What is the importance for the above slogan and in what way it has to be implemented necessarily in all our life. Our all scriptures says be still in the present moment. You have to be bounded as a whole in the present only. You no need to be separated in yourself as future and past. Because future is not tied up with certainty. It may come or may not come to everybody. The advent of future is not in our hands. So leave that uncared. Past is always past. That means the bundles of past are all happened ones and we no need to see them again. What was happened in the past is all useless in one way to our present and future. That is common and certain. Then why should we bother about past those were happened and future those are going to happen and uncertainty.
When we are indulged in doing something, we no need to think about future or its future result. Because in our indulgence of something creating, if we start to think about its future results or gains, then our full concentration posing on which will be distracted. So we have to be left the future results or gains to the future itself. That mean it has to be completely handed over to the law of Holy Sprit. We have to be in the present and on what we are doing only.
If we live in present moment in complete manner, then we can live in future moments in complete manner. Then as a whole we can lead our life in a complete manner. This sort of life will give a complete result and gain to all of us. Creation of something will be our desire or aim. But the result that we are going to attain is not our choice. That has to be left with our God or Holy Sprit or with something else what we name it. The river is running in different paths aimlessly. The power for running the river is attained itself from the God or Holy spirit only and finally it is dedicated itself wholly to the ocean. The river is not going through different paths with an aim to dedicate itself completely to the ocean. The dedication of river with an ocean is the final result that will be decided the Holy spirit.
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YOGA FOR HUMAN HEALTH - SOME TIPS
1. UTTKATTASAM
This is the very good asana for youngsters and also for middle-aged group. Once in a day for 3 to 4 times (each time for 10 – 15 seconds) is equal to walk for 5 miles a day. At the beginning, when we start to do this, we will have to feel slight pain in our knees of legs. Before starting to do yoga, when we do this first our body will feel flexibility to continue all other yoga easily.
Doing the above yoga, all our body nerves and entire nervous systems will be flourished. Especially our thigh, belly buttocks will be fines and shaped in to so beautiful. By regular doing of this yoga our whole body will become lighter and flexible. It is also very good medicine for our all sorts of knee pains, swellings, sprains etc., Thrice in every morning is more than enough for our body to be very active.
2. UDANAPADA ASANAM
This is the very good asana especially for the people those who are having gastritis. From 2 to 4 times a day for (each time for 20 seconds) is enough for the whole day. When we do this, our breathing should be normal and slow. Doing the above yoga, all our body nerves and entire nervous systems will be induces for prompt blood circulation. Our obesity will become normal. The excess of our lower stomach will start to decrease. By regular doing of this yoga our belly will become normal and beautiful. It is also very good medicine for the ladies also. In the post delivery periods, if the ladies are doing this yoga regularly, then their stomach will not become flexible and bulged.
3. NAVASANAM
This is the very good asana for youngsters. We have to make our body like a boat by lifting our head and legs simultaneously, When we do our body like this, the middle area of our stomach will be pressed. By doing this daily, our stomach will automatically be come healthy. Our digestion system will be renovated. Indigestion, gastritis will be recovered.
Doing the above yoga regularly, we will not be affected with constipation. Once in a day is enough. It is also very good medicine for the ladies when they are in post delivery period.
4. SARVANGASANAM
This is the very good asana for young gents and ladies. In the initial stages, it is advisable to do this yoga with the help of others. We have to make our body reverse and our sights should be focused on our leg fingers. In 2 minutes duration 3 to 4 time a day is normal for this yoga. Since our entire body gains completely by this yoga, it is named as Sarvangasanam. It postpones senility. Our Thyroid glands will be functioning in good sense. It is good medicine for Power of rememberance, excess of belly, constipation, lungs infection eye sight, nerves weakness and for semen secretion. If we do this yoga daily sound sleep in every night is possible. It is very good for our blood cells also.
5. NINDRA PADHA ASANAM
This is the very good asana for young gents and ladies. In the initial stages, it is advisable to do this yoga with the help of others. We have to make our body lengthy by this posture. Once in a day for 3 to 4 minutes of standing in the posture is advisable. Our entire body gains complete flexibility by this yoga. Especially our wavering mind will be vanished. Also our fickle mindedness will change into steady mindedness. This yoga is very helpful for our devotional efforts. For the people those who are indulged in daily meditation should do this yoga for getting fruitful results and progress in attaining holy power.
6. THIRIKONASANAM
This is the very good asana for youngsters and also for middle-aged group. Once in a day for 3 to 4 times (each time for 5 times) is enough. At the beginning, when we start to do this, we will have to feel slight pain in our back and hip. Before starting to do yoga, when we do this first our body will feel flexibility to continue all other yoga easily.
Doing the above yoga, all our body flourished and every knee joints will become relaxed. Especially our thigh, hands and hip will be so freed. By regular doing of this yoga our whole body will become lean. It is also very good medicine for constipation. Once in every morning is more than enough for our body to be very active.
