Nagpur: Mure Memorial nurses graduate with high hopes

The oath-taking and lamp lighting ceremony was held on hospital premises recently where they pledged to serve people with sincerity and work for the betterment of society.

Published On Nov 30, 2018 at 07:32 AM IST

Nagpur: It was a euphoric moment for the 77th batch of Mure Memorial Hospital’s School of Nursing as they were graduating with high hopes from the future.

The oath-taking and lamp lighting ceremony was held on hospital premises recently where they pledged to serve people with sincerity and work for the betterment of society. It was also the 153rd birth anniversary of hospital’s founder and missionary Dr Agnes Henderson. At the onset, the third memorial award was presented to anaesthetist Ann Miriam for her excellent work in running a missionary hospital in Karimgunj in Assam.

Dr Miriam spoke about transforming health in rural north-east India through their successful efforts of reopening a defunct medical facility. “Poor people in our country have to sell off their lands and even homes to be able to meet medical expenses. The sad state of medicine made my husband and I reopen Makunda Christian Leprosy and General Hospital which was shut down since 10 years,” she said.

She said beginning of the missionary hospital was tough, especially without basic amenities. “Since it was closed for a long time, we had no electricity or running water so essentials for any hospital when we first reopened. But our goal was set in concrete to provide every patient equal medical facility.

“To this date, we do not have separate private rooms which ensures equality. Our staff has also been sensitized while dealing with financially weak patients,” said Miriam.

Miriam said the hospital was also serving three neighbouring states. “To ensure high quality education for our staffers, we have a school on the premises till Std XII. Makunda Hospital provides facilities like ICU and NICU just for Rs500 per day with the benefit of keeping payments due. This helps people of not only Assam but also of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura,” she said.

Dr Bimal Charles, general secretary of CMAI, was the chief guest. Also present were chairman Paul Dupare, director of MMH Dr Vilas Shende and college principal Yasmin Bano.