Chief minister inaugurates the first hospital of the Daughters of St Anne
Located in the village of Raja Ulatu, the St Anne's Hospital and Research Centre has a capacity of 100 beds and will offer cutting-edge health services to the poor and needy. For the superior general of the congregation, “all mankind has the full right to have quality care”.
New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Hemant Soren, the newly-elected Chief Minister of Jharkhand, on Saturday inaugurated St Anne's Hospital and Research Centre (SAHRC), the first hospital of the Daughters of Saint Anne (DSA), in Raja Ulatu, a village about 16 km from Ranchi.
In his speech, the chief minister praised the nuns for their commitment to the poor and needy. “There's a lot that needs to be done to improve the standards of education and healthcare in Jharkhand,” he said.
However, “having been a witness to the Christian missionaries' zeal in their service to mankind, particularly in the fields of education, healthcare and human resources, the state government looks upon them as its partner in development.
“Hence, my government will work in close association with all the stakeholders to improve the standard of living of people in Jharkhand."
The healthcare facility has 100 beds and will offer services in the fields of gynecology, general medicine, neuro-surgery, orthopedics, digital radiology and pathology, among others.
It is the first hospital of the congregation, which was founded in 1897 by Mother Mary Bernadette Prasad Kispotta, the first tribal Servant of God.
Since its beginning, the institute has been in the service of the poorest, in India and the world, paying particular attention to women and children in tribal areas.
Today the congregation has 1,030 members and in 2002 it received the recognition of pontifical right.
During the ceremony, the chief minister mentioned that in 2013 he inaugurated a nursing college run by Christian missionaries in Dumka.
"That nursing college in Dumka has flourished over the years and I am grateful that I had been a part of the nursing school's journey," he noted.
“Today, the St Anne's Hospital and Research Centre begins its long journey of service to mankind and it is my proud privilege that I am a part of this journey.”
For her part, Sister Linda Mary Vaughan, superior general of the congregation, said: “We believe that all mankind has the full right to have quality care and SAHRC is committed to it”.
Archbishop Felix Toppo of Ranchi, who was among the Church leaders present, said that the Church is devoted to serve the poor, the down-trodden and the forgotten.
“It is, however, unfortunate that we are often accused of forcibly converting people to Christianity, which is baseless and untrue,” he explained.
Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas also pointed out that the Church remains committed to helping the state government in improving the standards of education and healthcare services in Jharkhand.
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08/06/2023 15:34
09/07/2018 08:42
