Posted by : Admin|Date : 01 Dec, 2023|Location : Karamsad

Charutar Arogya Mandal paid tribute to Founder Chairman

Charutar Arogya Madal paid rich tributes to its Founder Chairman Dr H . M. Patel on his 30th death anniversary 30th November,2023. Shri Atul Patel, Chairman CAM, Shri Jagrut Bhatt, Hon Secretary, CAM, Dr. Utpala Kharod, Provost, Bhaikaka University, Dr. Harish Desai, Registrar, Dr Jitesh Desai, Medical Superintendent, SKH, Head of constituent institutions, Doctors, nurses, faculties, students and management staff paid floral tribute at his samadhi.

On this occasion, Dr Prakash Murlidhar Amte, Medical Director, Lok Biradari Prakalp, Maharogi Seva Samiti, Hemalkasa, Warora, Maharashtra delivered the 18th H .M Patel Memorial Lecture on “ Odyssey of Community Service - A personal reflection” at Bhikhabhai Auditorium.

Prakash Baba Amte is a social worker from Maharashtra who has received many national and international awards, which include the Magsaysay Award for 'Community Leadership, Padmshree from the Government of India and many more.

Dr Amte said that he moved to Hemalkasa with his wife, Mandakini Amte in the year 1973 to start Biradari Prakalp, a project for the development of tribal people, most of whom were the Madia Gond in the forests of Gadchiroli district. He lived and worked there for almost twenty years performing emergency surgical procedures without electricity.

He added that the project transformed into a hospital, Lok Biradari Praklap Davakhana, a residential school, Lok Biradari Praklap Ashram Shala, and an orphanage for injured wild animals. The project provides health care to about 40,000 individuals annually. The Lok Biradari Praklap Ashram Shala has over 600 students, residents and day scholars.

He explained that he and his wife faced a lot of challenges -as they didn’t know the language,

Adivasis had lots of superstitions and didn’t trust them initially and there was a lack of resources (such as motorable roads and availability of electricity in this inaccessible region)to succeed. To gain the trust of Adivasis, he and Dr. Mandakini Amte first learnt their local language. In the initial days, they treated patients and performed basic operations in the open to gain the people’s trust.

Dr. Kharod said that Dr. H M Patel established this institute for 50 years with the vision to provide comprehensive and personalised Health Care, at the most affordable cost to all those in need of it.