Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital, Rajkot, Gujarat

[Guest guest]

The heart is the most important part in the body. If the heart goes on strike,

the body becomes lifeless. Heart diseases are widely prevalent around the world

and at the same time heart surgeries have become very expensive. In such

situations what would be the fate of poor people?

One has to work for the welfare of the poor, alleviate their suffering and set

an ideal for mankind. Service becomes truly meaningful only when it is rendered

to the poor and the needy. To assist the poor and needy in providing quality

heart care, The Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital, Rajkot, Gujarat was inaugurated

on 4th August 2000. This is the only hospital of its kind in Gujarat and the

surrounding states, offering quality health care services absolutely free to

the weaker sections of society. This hospital is dedicated to the welfare of

the poor and the philosophy of the hospital is that:

Medical services provided should be free irrespective of the patient's caste,

creed, religion or nationality.

Quality of care given to poor patients should not be inferior to that given to a fee-paying patient.

Treat each Patient as worshipping Narayana in them A well-coordinated

international effort has made it possible for every department of the hospital

to have the most modern equipment and to be staffed by highly-qualified and

dedicated surgeons, physicians, nurses, other health-care practitioners and

technicians.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the divine force behind this miracle says that,

"Sacrifice is the true hallmark of a doctor. So, doctors should have the spirit

of sacrifice. They should be compassionate and considerate towards the poor".

This hospital does not merely stand for architectural beauty. Andam (beauty)

has no value if there is no Anandam (bliss). You can experience bliss only when

you give happiness to the poor.

Today, this hospital is a monument to faith, and demonstrates compassionate

loving care and selfless service in an age where highcost specialized medicine

is beyond the reach of the great majority of the world's population. To date,

more than one thousand open heart surgeries have been performed and 50,000

patients have been treated for heart problems.

Some of the patients treated at the hospital:

17 year-old Rambhai Abhabhai's annul family income is less than £150

(Rs.12,000/-). A labourer by occupation, his father is the only breadwinner

among the family of four, consisting of his wife and two children. The

Artifical Valve Replacement surgery was performed on 7th February 2005.

 

 

38 year-old Dahiben Nandania's family annul income is not more than £120

(Rs.9,500/-). A farmer by occupation, her husband is the only breadwinner among

the family of six, which includes parents, wife and two children. The MVR

surgery was performed on 16th April, 2005.

 

 

44 year-old Mavji Ratna Nariya's yearly income is not more than £125

(Rs.10,000/-). A labourer by occupation, he is the only breadwinner among the

family of six, which includes his parents, wife and two children. The MVR

surgery was performed on 17th April, 2005.

 

 

The guiding principles and philosophy of Sri Sathya Sai Baba have made the

Hospital ‘a beacon of hope' for the poor. Each and every patient who has

received treatment at the Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital, Rajkot has his/her own

story of struggle, hope, tears, happiness and gratitude.

If you meet her, you will realize that 16 year-old Shefali Bhoi is a bright

girl. After school, she worked in the village to supplement her family's

income, which was never easy for her. The slightest bit of exertion would lead

to bouts of gasping and palpitations. Fatigue would wear her down, and even

eating became arduous. The doctor in the nearby town diagnosed a serious heart

condition for Shefali. How could a family that earned barely 75p (Rs.60) a day,

afford heart surgery costing over £1,200 (Rs. 1 lakh). The very same doctor

asked the family to rush to Sai Baba's Hospital in Rajkot. Today, after her

surgery at the SSSHH, Shefali smiles and says that she is all set to help her

family again. " We owe it all to Bhagawan. If not for hisHospital, our daughter

would have had no future. I can think of her marriage now, and get her to start

a family of her own!" says Shefali's mother, with a newfound hope in her eyes.

In recent months various digniataries and officials have visited the Sri Sathya

Sai Heart Hospital, Rajkot and blessed the patients and showed admiration for

all those who rendered service to the patients.

Source: http://www.heartvalvebank.info/pdf/HVB_Newsletter_July_2005.pdfHeart

Valve Bank UK Website: http://www.heartvalvebank.info/