Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (KR)

Pics by Kevin Rodrigues

Udupi, Mar 20: The Kasturba Hospital Manipal, a well-known healthcare institution worldwide is now reaching a milestone year of its existence. For the past 60 years, Kasturba Hospital has been providing world class healthcare.

On this mile stone year, the hospital management has planned yearlong activities to highlight patient centricity, engagement activities with the general public, corporates, doctors and relationship building activities in the communities. The celebrations will be held under the tagline, “Patient First Always Since 1962.”

As a part of the inaugural ceremony, Dr T M A Pai Arogya Sevak Awards to senior retired doctors of Udupi and the launch of Privilege Card were held on Saturday, March 19 at Hotel Fortune Inn Valley View, Manipal.

Kurma Rao M inaugurated the celebrations by lighting the lamp. Kurma Rao and Dr H S Ballal, jointly launched the Privilege card, which will be given to all the referring doctors.

The prestigious Dr T M A Pai Arogya Sevak Awards were presented to Dr Shaila S Nayak from Karkala, Dr Girish Shenoy from Karkala, Dr Krishnadeva Kalkura from Udupi, Dr N Sureshchandra Shetty from Mandarthi and Dr Ampar Vasanth Kumar Shetty from Kundapura.

Kurma Rao, IPS, in his address said, “I am glad to be here for this wonderful event of the inaugural ceremony of 60th year of Kasturba Hospital. It feels great that Kasturba Hospital is as much global as it is local with many rural camps being conducted in association with the Kasturba Hospitals.
Kasturba Hospital serves not only Udupi but more than nine districts of the state. During the pandemic, Kasturba Hospital and the management have whole heartedly supported the district administration. As Rabindranath Tagore said, ‘We are not what we have thought but what we have learned.’ Every day is learning process to all of us. When one reaches out to the needy, they will be blessed with more power and energy to do something more and better.”

Dr Girish Shenoy after receiving the Dr T M A Pai Arogya Sevak Award, thanked all the organizers and the management for recognizing and honouring doctors with the prestigious award on the occasion of the hospitals milestone year. “When I started my career in a government hospital, the support from the management was tremendous. The contribution to the society from Kasturba Hospital Manipal is more than the any other hospital. Kasturba Hospital has conducted many medical campus in the rural areas. They have associated with the many organizations and tried to reach out to more people,” he said.

Dr P L N G Rao, pro vice chancellor (Medical and Dental Science) MAHE, Manipal, remarked that as part of the hospital's 60th anniversary celebrations, MAHE had introduced the Dr TMA Pai Arogya Sevak Award for the first time, and congratulated the recipients. Manipal’ s aim is to bring healthcare to the masses by creating camps in rural areas and offering tertiary treatment to those in need, he explained. He also stated that patients will initially seek treatment from a family physician, who will care for them and, if necessary, refer them to a nearby hospital, adding that the family physician serves as a vital link between the Tertiary Care Hospital and needy people. He congratulated all the five awardees.

Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor, MAHE Manipal, congratulated all those who were a part of the 60 years journey. “The journey is remarkable and unforgettable. It’s not what we are today but what happened between the first year and the 60th. The credits goes to all who constructed the hospital brick by brick, making it rank among the best in the world. Gratitude towards the community is our way of telling the thanks.

Kasturba Hospital has also introduced the Privilege Card as a little gift of our gratitude for the services of the doctors who support our hospital. The cardholder and their family will receive a discount when they visit our hospital with this privilege card.”

Dr Ballal, pro-chancellor of MAHE Manipal, stated in his presidential speech that founder, Late Dr T M A Pai, was a great visionary who always used to think way ahead of time and established the Kasturba Hospital Manipal in 1962. He also stated that Kasturba Hospital Manipal is a tertiary care hospital that serves the healthcare requirements of Karnataka as well as parts of Kerala, and praised the medical staff for delivering high-quality care to the needy over the decades.

“Inspite of a medical college in each district, patients from all over the state come to us for better treatment service. Kasturba Medical College Manipal is precious jewel in the crown of MAHE”, he said.

He congratulated Dr Sharath Rao, C G Muthana and Dr Avinash Shetty for organizing this event and hnouring the retired doctors who served in the rural areas.

Kurma Rao M, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Udupi, Dr H S Ballal, pro chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, presided over the program, Lt Gen Dr M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor, MAHE, Dr P L N G Rao, pro- vice chancellor (Medical and Dental Science) were the guests of honour while Dr Sharath K Rao, dean, KMC Manipal, C G Muthana – COO, and Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital Manipal were present on the occasion.

C G Muthana gave the introduction of the Privilege card and its benefits, Dr Sharath Kumar, dean KMC, welcomed the gathering and Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, proposed a vote of thanks.

Top officials of MAHE Manipal were present on the occasion. Special entertainment programs were organized.