Amritakripa Charitable Hospital in Kalpetta

May 2005

Kalpetta, the capital of the Wayanad district in the north of Kerala, is reached by following winding roads through steep and densely forested mountains. The region has been inhabited for thousands of years,
dating back at least as far as Neolithic times. The indigenous people still inhabiting this area are the Adivasis, meaning the first people who stayed, also known as tribals.

Their history is steeped in tragedy. Once dwelling in simplicity and majestic silence in their native lands, many tribals were reduced to slavery and most of them now live in a state not far removed from that.
In the past they were healthy and long lived, but now suffer from severe malnutrition and untreated diseases.

The historical reasons for this tragic state of the Adivasis are complex. They are intertwined with factors such as colonial exploitation, unchecked environmental exploitation and degradation; in addition to a lack of understanding and respect by the dominant community. Their condition has become even more desperate after World Trade Agreements lowered the prices on the main cash crops of coffee, tea, and some spices to such an extent that many plantations began running at a loss and were forced to cease operating. The Adivasis are affected the most. Usually the main employment open to them is as day laborers on plantations earning around rupees 50 (~ one dollar) a day. Without this money many have actually starved to death or died weakened from malnutrition, as they can only afford one meal a day.

Informed of this desperate situation Amma’s organization has for many years worked in tribal areas to help them. Amrita Niketan, the orphanage and boarding school for tribal children in Paripally is one of the MA Math’s first efforts in this area. Most of the children at Paripally come from the Atipadi district near Palghat. In the Wayanad district she has started small tribal schools, mobile medical camps, distribution of rice and clothes and vocational education.

Charitable Hospital in India

The tribal hospital in Kalpetta is the latest project in an on going effort by the M. A. Trust to both relieve the immediate suffering of these most exploited people and guide them on the path to a healthy life style and economic independence. Amma is also stressing the preservation of many positive aspects of their traditional lifestyle that have gone unrecognized, unappreciated and are in danger of being lost.

Guided by brahmachari Akshayamrita Chaitanya, who is assigned to this area and Dr. Sunil, who is responsible for the new hospital, we visited some tribal homes in the vicinity of the hospital. Our jeep ploughed through an almost non-existent road, muddy from recent rains. On our right a wide muddy river flowed about 50 feet below us. On the left in a clearing in the forest simple dwellings were built. On a foundation of mud, plastered with dung, the dwellings ranged from solid looking brick buildings to thatched huts, to a tarp stretched over a crumbling foundation. This dwelling was occupied by two old ladies and a young woman. The day labor of the young woman was the sole support of this family.

We stopped the jeep and proceeded along a path bordered by small clearings and flowering plants. A woman living in a simple house asked Br. Akshayamrita to do a puja. She had draped a white cloth on a low
ledge and placed a small photo of Amma, a lamp and a few brilliant red hibiscus flowers on it. Br. Akshayamrita did a simple puja (ritualistic worship) to the joy of the lady of the house. At each house the people were happy to see us and invited us in. Our brahmachari guide distributed sweets and asked after the welfare of the people. At one house the men showed us a traditional bamboo bow and the different types of arrows used for hunting. Now the Adivasis are forbidden to hunt on their own native lands. We also visited a family that were living on a mud platform covered with a few strips of plastic. One young woman, doing day labor in the fields, was the sole support of four old women and children.

Later at Kalpetta we met Dr. Sanjeevan and Dr. Ajita, a husband and wife team who were instrumental in setting up the hospital. They and Dr. Sunil went to work treating the steady stream of patients who had come long distance by bus or on foot for the treatment of a variety of ailments. The most common complaints of the Adivasis are cuts, infections, parasites,
anemia and the host of ailments that stem from malnutrition.

None of the patients I saw that morning had life threatening illnesses but the result of even a small injury or bad case of parasites can cause serious consequences and ultimately become life threatening. For example, Naryanan, age 60. supports his wife and two children by working in the fields as a day laborer. His family has no money if he doesn’t work. His toe became septic while working in muddy fields.

He went to the Government Hospital for one month, but his condition had not improved. The doctors removed part of the nail and treated the infection with antibiotics. He says that he feels better and is
happy with his treatment at the hospital. He also proudly told us that he had stopped smoking for the past three days. Like most patients he came by bus and walking, even with his bad foot. The average
patient undertakes a two hour journey to reach the hospital and some have even traveled four hours each way.

Sarojini, an Adivasi woman, also came with a infected toe from an accident with a knife while working in the fields of a coffee estate. She came to this hospital as she has little money. She has been attending the weekly bhajan sessions held at the hospital prayer hall so she felt comfortable to come here. She has heard about Amma and is learning some Amma bhajans from her three teenaged children. While interviewing her we discovered that she has a teenaged daughter disabled from severe childhood burns. The doctor encouraged her to bring the shy girl to the hospital to assess the condition

During our visit many Adivasis came with gastric complaints, severe anemia, upper respiratory infections, joint problems and parasites. We met a Muslim woman who had felt confident to come after her daughter had a good experience with her treatment. It seems obvious that only after one month of operation the hospital is already actively serving the area in a variety of ways.

In the first month of operation over nine hundred patients were seen with 1057 outpatient visits. Medicine worth $400 was distributed to tribals free of charge. Over twenty per cent of the patients return for follow-up treatment and seventy-one per cent of revisits were from the tribal people. Two medical camps, attended by 200 patients, were also held during
the first month. In addition, weekly bhajan sessions are held and satsangs are given encouraging people to give up bad habits like drinking and smoking.

Long term plans include a community outreach program, specialty medical camps, extending the services offered to include impatient treatment and a full range of services including cardiology, Obgyn, gastrology, ophthalmology, etc. Plans are underway for senior residents and interns from Aims Medical College to provide rotating staff for some of these services.

The Amrita Kripa Charitable Hospital is well placed for expansion. A local Jain philanthropist donated the large piece of property adjacent to major highways to Mysore and Bangalore and close enough to downtown Kalpetta and the bus stand. There is also a good support system from Amma’s volunteers in Kalpetta and Manathavady. The small staff radiates a warm concern and sweetness towards the patients. We could see the
wariness and concern dissipate as the patients interacted with the doctors and staff at the hospital. Physical healing and equally important. the healing on many other levels, is clearly happening here. The goal is to treat, to heal, support and uplift the whole person on every level.

We left convinced that through the hard work and the dedication and loving attitude of the doctors and the staff, the confidence that the Adivasi community has in their experiences with Br. Akshayamrita Chaitanya,
the support of the local devotees and of course all of this overseen by Amma herself, this project will make a major impact on the difficult lives of these sweet and simple people.

A few weeks later, upon our return to the ashram we met Br. Akshayamrita. With a beaming smile he led us to a group of 50 people from the Wayanad who had just had Amma's darshan and were eating lunch in the prayer hall. They had just finished a course at AIMs to
become community health workers. They were taught how to conduct simple tests such as blood pressure and blood sugar tests. They were taught how to give instructions on basic health care and sanitation.
They received a kit and will earn 1500 rupees a month doing this valuable work. They were all the equivalent of high school graduates (Tenth Standard). Everyone was thrilled with what they had learned and this employment opportunity that will benefit their community so much. Community outreach is a crucial part of the Kalpetta hospital towards improving the health of the local people. This program is expected
to continue to expand.

- Rita and Gitamba

Video on Amma

Gujarat Video

AIMS Video