News about the Christian Hospital Diptipur

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2008

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DECEMBER 2008: STRUGGLING BACK TOWARDS NORMALITY

Nonetheless, Dr Rajnish Samal has resigned as the hospital’s Director to become the obstetrics consultant at the Evangelical Mission Hospital in Tilda, in nearby Chatttisgarh state, west of Orissa.

Dr Ipsita Dip has been appointed as acting director of Diptipur Hospital. Courageously, she has carried on with the medical work during all the recent troubles, treating anyone who came for help. She has started to admit patients, but there are few wanting admission at present. It will take some time to build up patient numbers again.

Dr V K Henry is trying to locate other doctors who can serve with Ipsita. With fewer patients attending the hospital, there is the problem of reduced finances. Fortunately the general secretary of the Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI) has mobilised funds to help hospital staff salaries. The Eastern Regional Board of Health Services, under whose care Diptipur is situated, had, as its chairman, Dr V K Henry. Recently he retired and the Church of North India board in Delhi appointed Dr Samson Das as his successor.

Please pray for Dr Ipsita Dip in her new role - with heavy responsibilities - and also for Dr Henry in his search for the doctors needed to help her.

The situation in the Kandhmal district is mostly quieter but tense. The Christmas season will be a difficult time. There are still at least 20,000 people in the relief camps. Conditions there are neither comfortable nor hygienic. Some refugees are still hiding in the forests, while others have gone to different parts of India for safety. The weather is getting colder, especially at night, and the Christians are afraid to return to their villages to rebuild their houses because of the fear of forced reconversion to the Hindu faith.

Dr Samson Das and other church leaders are meeting Government authorities to ask for relief and rehabilitation work - and the Government has begun paying something to the victims to rebuild their houses. A trauma counselling programme has started at the Baptist Carey Retreat Centre at Gopalpur on Sea. Legal experts from other parts of India are helping in the Fast Track Court set up by the Government. Medical teams are giving treatment in the relief camps.

A donation sent by Marshalswick Baptist Free Church to help in the rehabilitation of Christians in Orissa was most gratefully received. Please continue praying and caring.

Aileen Hagen

NOVEMBER 2008: THE FUTURE OF THE HOSPITAL IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Most of these people have lost their few worldly goods.

Homes, churches, orphanages, shops - everything in some villages - have been burnt to the ground. Yet I am told that the faith of these Christians is radiant in the face of horrendous persecution. We praise God for their courage.

There is an official collection of money in Orissa to help in the rehabilitation of these fellow Christians in Orissa. Dr Samson Das is at the forefront of this work and not only our gifts but also our sincere prayers are there with him and all Christian and social workers as they deal with the situation.

The police are still in residence in the grounds in Diptipur hospital but, up to now, no attack has occurred. A few outpatients are attending the hospital and are being treated by Dr Ipsita Dip. Her home town is only 12 miles from Diptipur at Podampur, where there have been serious attacks resulting in burning and death.

The hospital, apart from outpatients, remains closed; with all its equipment locked away.

A meeting of the Eastern Regional Board of Health Services (CNI) at the end of October debated the immediate future of the hospital. Until the violence in parts of Orissa is quelled and the situation is safe, there will be no immediate change.

Pray earnestly for people and situations, trusting that God will bless, guide and work everything for his good.

Aileen Hagen

OCTOBER 2008: CONTINUED NEED FOR PRAYER

Aileen Hagen

SEPTEMBER 2008: URGENT CALL TO PRAYER

Interruption in the work

The very day I wrote that report, tragic events were taking place out in Orissa. It was August 24th. Violence had suddenly erupted in the Khandmal district about 4 hours drive from Diptipur. Linda and I travelled that way in December of last year. News on 28 August from Dr Samson Das said "I am very sad to state the fact that the whole State of Orissa is under persecution. The innocent Christians are being attacked and killed. Churches, homes and orphanages are being burnt, so many churches are being burnt. Pastors, nuns and Christians are persecuted. The reason behind this communal violence is that a Hindu religious leader Lakshmi Narana Swami along with his 4 disciples were shot dead in the Khandmal district and the Hindu fanatics are blaming the Christians, which is not true. The Naxalites (another group of Hindu fanatics) are to be blamed but unfortunately Christians are being targeted and persecuted for the past 4 days. The situation is very grim and there is so much violence in all the regions of Orissa. Schools, homes, hostels, houses and churches are being burnt. Please pray for the land of Orissa."

The Christians are a small minority in Orissa. The Evangelical Fellowship of India says, on their website, that 13,000 are in government relief camps for their safety (some still there from the Christmas violence), many thousands are hiding in the jungle, the death toll is unknown but at least 50. Many horrifying details are listed there. Burning of property and persecution have happened near Diptipur, though up to the time of writing this report Diptipur compound has been spared. The police say it is a target for an attack.

Dr Samson Das has been in Delhi seeing the Church of North India and central government with other Christian leaders, and also reporting to the state Government Let us pray that Govt and police response will be rapid, firm and successful. Dr Samal wrote about the situation in Diptipur. For safety all the patients have been sent home, the eye camp stopped and police are staying in the empty wards. Dr Samal had a meeting with his staff, paid the September salaries, locked away the equipment. The atmosphere was very tense and everyone fearful.

Police chiefs in Cuttack and in District HQ advised Dr Rajnish Samal not to stay to open up the hospital and start work because in the event of an attack his life would be in danger and they could not guarantee adequate protection. Instead of sitting in Cuttack, Dr Samal is now hoping to be given employment in another hospital until such time as he can return to Diptipur. Let us pray it will not be long.

Also the Evangelical Fellowship of India are requesting Christians and others who are concerned about racial and religious justice to write, email, fax or even phone central and state government officials to register their condemnation and show support for those suffering from the violence and rioting (click for contact details). Please pray for our friends and fellow believers in Cuttack, Diptipur and the whole State of Orissa that peace and safety may return to their everyday lives.

Aileen Hagen

SEPTEMBER 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

The ophthalmic department has been very busy. The week long eye camp at the beginning of August resulted in 140 surgeries being performed. Even though there is heavy rain, the ophthalmic team is out in the villages screening patients for the forthcoming camps. Some villages are as far away as 35 miles. Please pray for safe travelling, as with the present weather conditions, the village tracks can be treacherous. Dr Jacob Koshy, Second Sight consultant, was in Diptipur for the week long eye camp and at present he is operating there for a further 3 or 4 weeks. The hospital ophthalmic team is getting plenty of good experience. Please continue to pray for a surgeon to join the hospital staff on the permanent staff. Dr Lucy Mathen from England, the founder of Second Sight Trust, is visiting Diptipur in the last week of September. This will be such an encouragement to Dr Rajnish Samal.

The money for the surgeon's chair and also a gift for a laptop computer for use in the laboratory has been taken out to Diptipur by Bishop Samson Das. When the chair was installed in the eye theatre, the hospital held a dedication service conducted by the church pastor. Doreen Lisk and her family were gratefully remembered in the prayers.

The maternity dept. was very busy last month - 27 babies delivered - second highest monthly number in the last 4 years. There were also many inpatients suffering from diarrhoea and malaria. Dr and Mrs Henry were in Diptipur for two weeks and some surgery was done.

At last the paperwork for the hospital transformer is finished and permission for the installation is granted. Everything seems to take so long even after the money is available. Dues have to be paid to the government - about two weeks from now, everything should be ready for use.

Dr Samal's comment in his last email was - "things are beginning to look good". Then he added that financial stability was not yet attained. I thought that if he can cope with the day-to-day situation, then we can continue to pray and help to finance the work.

Aileen Hagen

AUGUST 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

Dr Samal wrote that it was raining 'cats and dogs' - which brings its own problems when the roof leaks or the rain sweeps onto the verandas. The season also brings its special health problems such as fevers and diarrhoea - which can have serious consequences in that climate. Sometimes, sick babies are taken in to hospital and their parents cannot afford treatment. In these cases the bills are subsidised or written off, so that the babies are not deprived of medical help.

Cultivation on the land has started, and the medical staff are hoping and praying for good crops - because the hospital depends on their success.

The recent hospital renovations have resulted in a new bright look in the eye outpatients section and the prayer hall. The operating theatre has also been painted and was in use from 11th July. Renovations in the eye wards are completed, except for the painting which is being reserved in case there are volunteers visiting later in the year. Major work in the laboratory and ultrasound room means an entire new ceiling has to be built because the roof and a wall had become weak. The work should take less than a month to be completed. Government authorities have not yet cleared the paperwork for the transformer, but it should soon be finished and in use.

News of Dr Ipsita Dip is that, although she officially finishes her time in Diptipur on 11th August, she may continue to work there for another six months before enrolling on a post- graduate course. There is still no sign of the two urgently required doctors - so please continue to pray for this.

A successful eye camp was held in July with Dr Jacob Koshy of Second Sight when more than 100 blind patients had operations.

Please continue to pray for Dr Rajnish Samal and all the hospital staff. We are a vital link in the chain of support.

Aileen Hagen

JULY 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

The report contains some encouraging points, while other issues highlighted in the report need our earnest prayers. According to the report, the most urgent need is for the services of a surgeon and an ophthalmologist. The poor, isolated and rural location of Diptipur is the main reason for the lack of attraction to well qualified doctors. I would ask you to join me in earnest prayer that God will put his hand on the right doctors and give these chosen ones the desire to serve and follow where God leads.

Dr Rajnish Samal is serving in a difficult situation and needs our support.

The cataract work in the Eye Department has increased threefold since last year. However, although work during the past year has been hectic and a large number of new patients have come to the hospital from quite a distance, there has been a considerable drop in the total number of patients.

Support in different ways is a great encouragement to the staff. This is particularly noticeable when supporters and friends actually make a visit to see for themselves the work that God is doing in this rural area of West Orissa. If you make the effort with God's prompting, you will never be the same again.

Please be constant in support and persistent in prayer for our fellow Christians serving him in distant parts of his kingdom.

Aileen Hagen

JUNE 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

In the meantime, work goes on at the hospital, although the hot season brings a fall in the patient numbers. The renovation work to the eye department is being carried out. This will be followed by renovation of the laboratory as well as the painting of the eye department. Engineers have come to check out the equipment in the eye theatre and have managed to provide servicing and maintenance on several things. Paperwork is progressing for the installation of the transformer. This usually takes four to five weeks, and installation will take a further week.

Then, the air conditioning units will be installed and they can be used safely with the transformer in place. The hot, humid monsoon season will then become more tolerable for the doctors performing operations.

We are hoping that a surgeon's chair for the eye theatre can soon be bought. At the moment the doctor has to manage on a stool.

Dr Jacob Koshy, the surgeon sponsored by Second Sight, will soon be making another visit - to perform cataract operations, giving bilateral patients sight in one eye.

Dr Rajnish Samal - now, thankfully, recovered from a recent bout of high fever and sickness - had his wife and daughter with him in Diptipur from 4th to 23rd May. On 23rd May, all the family travelled to Delhi and on to Shimla for a meeting of the Christian Medical Association of India. While in Delhi, they met Heather Payne, my fellow guest of honour at the golden jubilee celebrations.

In August, Dr Ipsita Dip, the lady doctor at Diptipur, will be going to do her postgraduate studies at CMC Vellore in paediatrics. Her replacement at Diptipur, will be Dr Priyambada Singh, who has trained at CMC Ludhiana.

We constantly need to remember the staff and patients of the hospital in our prayers - and we send our love and greetings, thoughts and prayers to all the staff working at Diptipur.

Aileen Hagen

MAY 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

Dr Paul left recently after completing six months work at Diptipur. Some good was achieved during this time. The staff bonded and worked hard in outreach to the villages. The new vehicle donated by Second Sight was well used - and two of the ophthalmic assistants may go for further training.

Earlier in the year, general surgeries, medical patients and birth numbers were up - which was encouraging - though surgery charges had to be further reduced as patients were unable to pay. In turn, this reduction in cost increased the number of patients.

The new transformer is going to be installed so that all the electrical medical equipment is safe when there is low voltage. The new air conditioning units should then be safe to install and run.

Aileen Hagen

APRIL 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

The last eye camp of the season was 28th March to 3rd April, when 158 patients were operated on, 154 of these being bilateral. Dr Jacob Koshy, of Second Sight, came to help. The eye surgery is progressing well and Second Sight consultants are going regularly to help and teach new techniques. They are setting a target of at least 100 operations each month. The new vehicle helps the staff to travel deep into the interior to screen and transport the patients to the hospital. However, the summer months are not suitable for eye camps, so wards and equipment will be cleaned up and repaired. Discussions are already being held with another ophthalmologist with a view to him joining the Diptipur staff in June or July. Please remember this in your prayers.

Thanks to the generosity of many members and friends of Marshalswick Baptist Free Church, money is being sent to cover the cost of three air conditioning units for the operating theatres (each will cost £350). The surgeons will be glad to operate in cool theatres - especially now that the weather in Diptipur is getting extremely hot. Money is also being sent for a good microscope for laboratory use (the cost will be some £350), two fridges (one for a ward and one for a laboratory), and there is a separate gift to buy a new bed and mattress (£125).

Aileen Hagen

MARCH 2008: DIPTIPUR UPDATE

The latest news to come by email is that Second Sight trust has donated a new vehicle to Diptipur Hospital. This is an answer to prayer and will be used mainly for the eye work activities. Those who know the situation are praising God for this wonderful gesture by Second Sight. Moreover, Second Sight's Dr Lucy Mathen will be in Cuttack and Diptipur from 2nd to 6th March.

Aileen Hagen

FEBRUARY 2008: DIPTIPUR UDATE

Aileen Hagen

JANUARY 2008: DIPTIPUR UDATE

The need for a full time residential surgeon in now urgent - because patients are going to other places. Please make this an urgent matter for prayer.

on to 2007