Introduction to Diptipur Hospital

Let's look at the history more closely and start at the very beginning it's a very good place start. Wind back to the early Nineteen fifties. India has got her independence. But parts of Western Orissa are not free in any sense of the word. The BMS in Bolangir feels the need to develop an island of mission for the region. A place where services can be developed in Health, Education and Agriculture. A Christian Community centred on the Church, but reaching out to serve the needs of people around, a beautiful vision, a worthwhile cause.
But in 1963, the hospital had to close down.

In 1965, Dr Sukant Singh joined the Hospital, the first Indian leader and a man from Orissa itself. The hospital did well under him well, until 1996, there was no-one ready to take over.

The electricity had been cut off, the phone had been disconnected, but the work continued.

Dr V K Henry supported by his wife Mrs Nancy Henry took over the crucial mission of reviving the hospital. Word got around. Patients started coming in. The operating theatre was re-opened and even major surgeries got done. Mission partners in the US agreed to help with some of the outstanding bills. And the impossible happened. But the most unusual twist in the tale was in the response of the staff.

Seeing the efforts being put in to pull the hospital out of the hole it was in, the staff decided they too needed to make their contribution. They held a meeting and adopted a unanimous resolution to forego 15 months of their unpaid salaries as their contribution to the revival campaign! Unheard of but true!
Diptipur hospital is situated in one of the most rural areas of western Orissa about 100 km from Sambalpur. The health situation is pathetic, with so much illiteracy and poverty in this region. To add to this, there is no proper health care facility available. This area abounds in diseases like malaria, sickle cell disease, malnutrition and gastroenteritis. But I write this letter to let you know that this hospital is one of the few hospitals in India, which have been functioning after its revival. We thank God for the way in which He has led us in the past one and half years. If all goes well and with God's blessings, we can develop this into a multidisciplinary hospital where there will he no compromise on quality of care and where the rich and the poor will be treated equally with dignity and respect. We need your prayers, help and support as never before, to help us turn the Christian Hospital, Diptipur into an institution of caring and healing.