Looking forward

It’s going to be 4 years since we have been serving at NJH. When I first saw this place in 2003, I was fascinated by the possibilities in this place. And I’m thankful that the Lord has used us as a family to bring hope and smiles to the lives of quite a lot of people.

Over the last year, we were in the middle of a decision making process about Angel going ahead for a Master’s qualification. We had requested quite a lot of our friends to pray over it. 

We did not want that to happen just for the heck of it. We were quite sure that we are going ahead with it only if it was within the Lord’s will.

Couple of weeks back, we were led to believe that the Lord wanted us to continue here over the next year.

From the world's view, this was the best time for Angel to do her masters. However, we are convinced now that it does not fall into God’s plan for us for the time-being.

Now that we’re sure that we’re staying on, I thought I should jot down my dreams for this place. When there are dreams, there needs to be things put in place if they need to become reality. People . . . infrastructure . . . the major things.

It was couple of hours back that Dr. Roshine, our Medicine Consultant, Mr. Dinesh, our engineer and myself were in the ward looking at temperatures in the different areas. It’s been too cold over the last couple of days. And we had to do some checking to see if patients were comfortable. As we went into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we could not stop wondering aloud on how much we need to have a paediatrician at NJH.

Of course, if you ask any mission hospital doctor, the first need anybody will blurt out is the need for more doctors, especially specialists.

As we continue our stint in NJH, we look at the prospect of more co-labourers . . .

It is now 52 years since the founding of the hospital. Most of the buildings are more than 30-40 years old. This means that we need quite a lot of new buildings. Hospital area including new outpatient areas, theatre complexes, intensive care units etc and residential spaces for staff are a crying need.

We have a nursing school which needs to be upgraded to a GNM/BSc nursing training facility. Qualified and committed staff along with more buildings is needed.

Could I request you to pray specifically for us as we continue at NJH? The dreams are quite huge. But, I think they are quite possible. But, more important is that we stay within the Will of the Lord for our lives . . .

To start off, we look forward to few specific things we would like to see in 2014. Permit me to put them down here.

1. Tuberculosis is a major challenge in the region. We want to do more in this area. Having a Tuberculosis Unit in NJH gives us quite a lot of leverage. Kindly pray that we will be able to do more for controlling tuberculosis in the region and the country. There are couple of things we are looking at. The first is research and the second thing is starting off Drug Sensitivity and Culture.

2. Starting a specific facility for non-communicable diseases in a rural set-up like ours is something I look forward in 2014. Kindly pray as Dr. Roshine sets it up at NJH.

3. Dr. Nandamani returns to NJH in January 2015. I would like to complete the Burns Unit by then. Please pray for resources including committed staff.

4. We have seen quite a few patients dying of Carcinoma Cervix in the region. Angel has been quite pressing to start off PAP Smear or VIA for Ca Cervix screening. Please pray as we plan.

5. New residential complexes are a pressing need.

6. Kindly pray as we consolidate the impacts we have made through the Community Health projects.

7. Consultant leaders in the specialities of Surgery, Obstetrics, Orthopaedics and Pediatrics with a belief in the saving grace and healing of Jesus Christ are something we should benefit from.

8. We’ve got a team of young and enthusiastic staff. Kindly pray that they’ll continue to grow in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

9. Complete ground work to start a blood bank.

10. Develop the specialty of Neonatology with emphasis on training. 

We value support and prayers . . . again, more prayers to remain in His Will. 

Wish all of you a blessed 2014 . . .

Cancer Cervix

2 days back in outpatient, I had this middle aged lady sitting in my clinic. She appeared quite shy to tell her complaint. She complained of a heaviness of her lower abdomen. And then slowly, I could very diffinitely smell a characteristic odour which has been well taught to us.

There was only one diagnosis. Cancer of the Cervix . . . It was death knell for her. I told our RCH nurses to check it out. After checking her, they wondered how she had been living with this for so long. The whole genital region was closed tight because of the mass. Only a small orifice remained through which urine was dribbling out. The ultrasound showed that the mass was extensive. It was only a matter of time before her ureters would become blocked.

Most of us in India are used to seeing such cases.

We’ve had a very high incidence of Cervical Cancers in our surrounding communities. Last year, there were 5 deaths due to Cervical Cancer in the 3 villages which surround our hospitals.

It has been known for quite some time that using acetic acid to diagnose early cervical cancer could be a better primary health option than using PAP NICOLEAU smears. Recently, there were news in the papers about research which was done on this in India.

I’m exploring options on how to start out the program in our regular outpatient department. In addition, at a later stage, I would like to look at transferring the skill to the Sahiyas (ASHA workers) and the Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives.

Could I request the leaders and experts in the area of Gynaecology Cancers to give me the up to date knowledge on this issue and help in exploring ways to start this program in NJH? Of course, some sort of funding to kick start the program would be welcome.

The trainings we could be looking into are –

1. Training of RCH nurses to do this.
2. All lady doctors to receive training to supervise this work.
3. Training for one of the doctors preferably the surgeon to do the follow-up work like punch biopsies etc.
4. Identification of a referral centre for patients diagnosed to have.

The screening program for gynaecological cancers is something that has been on my mind for quite a long time now. I pray that we would have someone who would take up this burden.