LAST year, the ground was uneven, foundation of construction of a new building was being laid at Hedari near Surjagarh in Gadchiroli district. Pre-fabricated sheets were being put in place to create internal partitions. Come 2024, and the building has taken shape of a well-equipped healthcare facility. Lloyds Kali Ammal Memorial Hospital at Hedari near Surjagarh today stands as a symbol of change in Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district. Gadchiroli, a mineral-rich but Maoist-affected easternmost district of Maharashtra, has been in news for quite some time owing to fast-paced development of iron ore mining. Apart from ushering in an era of economic development, the mining industrialisation is ensuring a positive change in healthcare too. Last year, when ‘The Hitavada’ had visited Surjagarh, Hedari and nearby areas, a small healthcare set up was functional at Hedari.

 

As it was not enough to take care of major health emergencies, a bigger hospital was under construction at a site close-by. Gradually, the work was completed and the Lloyds Kali Ammal Memorial (LKAM) Hospital was inaugurated on November 16, 2023. The 30-bed facility offers a plethora of medical services, including state-of-the-art ICU and emergency services, maternity services, dentistry, ophthalmology, general medicine, and paediatrics. It has advanced diagnostic services such as digital X-ray, sonography, ECG, spirometry, audiometry and 24x7 laboratory services, dietician, physiotherapy services, and a well-equipped all-day running pharmacy. The hospital has full-time doctors for emergency medicine, general medicine, gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, and experienced duty Medical Officer. Specialist doctors for orthopaedics, ear-nose-throat, general surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and public health frequently visit the hospital and conduct medical camps.

 

According to the officials of Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd, which is running Surjagarh iron ore mines, the establishment of the well-equipped hospital was a long-cherished dream of the company and B Prabhakaran, its Managing Director. The company team claimed to have gotten full support of the villagers right from land acquisition till establishment of the hospital. After initial apprehension among villagers in visiting the hospital (since they considered it as deviation from age-old treatment methods), the good quality treatment at ‘absolutely no cost’ with nutritional and medical needs taken care of, the hospital has become a symbol of hope and good health for them, said an official. The hospital is named after Kali Ammal, grandmother of Prabhakaran. She was known for her progressive thinking, selfless care, community building, and charitable activities in her village near Salem. She believed in developing the community from the grassroots, like a family. She encouraged co-existence of traditional and modern healthcare and focused on ultimate well-being of individual and community. Since inauguration, the LKAM Hospital has treated around 8,400 patients till date.

 

Of them, 45 per cent are from three Gram Panchayats namely Pursalgondi, Nagulwadi, and Todsa and the remaining are from other Gram Panchayats. The number of people visiting the hospital and availing of the medical services is around 100-150 from surrounding villages including Gatta, Etapalli, Alapalli, Jambia, and Bhamragad. Beyond medical services, the LKAM Hospital actively engages in community outreach programmes, health education, and preventive healthcare initiatives, contributing to the overall well-being of the people. Already, plans are afoot to offer more specialised services and to create even better facilities so that people from adjoining villages get the best of treatment. The officials hope that people from even the adjoining tehsils in Gadchiroli district will visit Hedari for medical facilities at the LKAM Hospital. Till a few years ago, one could not imagine such a healthcare facility to come up at Hedari. However, under the aegis of Lloyds Infinite Foundation, several on-ground activities are taking place right from building quality roads to providing training and employment opportunities to the local people in various sectors to development of facilities in villages to organising sports meets and providing sports infrastructure to educational kits to kids from nearby villages. The change is visible like in the form of LKAM Hospital.