The Newsletter of the Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana (Punjab) INDIA Greetings from all of us at CMC Ludhiana! As one year draws to a close and a New Year dawns, we give thanks to the Almighty for carrying us through the year with its many challenges. At this time, we remember our Alumni and their families all over the world. A huge network of people doing God's work, instruments of healing that were fashioned by His will. Collectively we form a beautiful mosaic that is the essence of CMC Ludhiana'. The CMC emblem is a shield that depicts the gifts of the Magi offered to baby Jesus on the first Christmas; of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. It reminds us of His amazing life and great sacrifice. It also bears the rod of Asclepius that signifies the ministry of healing that is our obligation and calling. Let us re-dedicate ourselves to this noble cause and keep on doing the good work to 'heal the world and make it a better place', in both the physical and spiritual sense. Wishing you a Happy New Year! Sheena Singh The 58 years from 1952 to 2010 have reduced me to a wrinkled, stooping, grey haired woman, where as during this period, Christian Medical C o l l e g e, L u d h i a n a, h a s metamorphosed into one of the best medical colleges in India. In 1952, 11 of us traveled from down south with few senior girls joining en route, the last batch of LSMF students. But for the four men in our senior batch, the college was strictly for women. Later on, Mr. Douglas Parmar from Africa joined our batch. Dr. Cooke was not only the head of Anatomy department, but was in charge of all students' affairs accommodation, discipline, bible studies, mess and other matters. We had heard so much about Dr. Cooke from our senior co-travellers en route, that we cowered under her piercing gaze because we were sure she had the uncanny ability to see through us! The good old chapel where we sat for worship, this time is the same old place indeed... the same benches on which we sat for morning and evening prayers. No one could afford to miss the morning chapel. Generally we had the morning paratha/ bread (just two slices) in one packet and all other tit-bits like bones for anatomy practical, pens etc in the other. There was no time for a leisurely breakfast! Attendance was taken by the senior staff conducting morning prayers and one had to stand up, respond to your name and then walk out. Eating would be en route to the dissecting hall. I had never gone farther than Madras and st so food was a big problem for me during the 1 year. Several senior Malayalee girls some of them missionaries from ashrams or bible colleges were good cooks and they would cook in the mess kitchen during weekends. How we relished the fish curry made by Thankamma from Ankola! Summer and winter were unbearable! The only place which had a fan was the common room. We would all crowd into that room after lunch and sleep off the intense heat. It was pleasant sleeping under the starry skies at night. During winter, we put the bucket in queue near the water boiler at the back of the women's hostel to collect hot water for the weekly bath! Family groups were a great source of solace and fellowship. We used to meet in the senior staff quarters on Friday evenings for singing, bible study, games and refreshments. We went for picnics occasionally.
Christmas was the happiest time of the year. Only very few students would be left in the hostel: those who couldn't go home and return in the short holidays. Our hostel warden, Ms. Matheson would put an enormous cake on a table in the lawn in front of the women's hostel and we could eat our fill! Dr. Snow would come to the mess with men carrying large baskets, full of fruits and sweet meats. These also we would eat as much as we wanted. The best part was the late evening caroling visits to the senior staff houses. By the time we got back to the hostel, our coat pockets would be overflowing with goodies we got from the houses we visited and what we pinched from their Christmas trees! Also, it was during these breaks that we learnt bed making, bandaging and basic nursing skills from some of the senior missionary sisters. Indeed we had a very strict upbringing in the campus- like a monastery: dress code, hair styling, personal grooming etc. No compromise on frugality or punctuality! All work was for 'THE KING ' who could see through us not only our actions, but thoughts and intentions too! There were out stations like Narangawal, Tarn Taran and Juber, where we learnt to work in rural settings with no immediate help or advice. I had a chance to see Lalton Kalan during my visit this time where Dr. Betty Cowan had built up an ideal primary health centre with excellent infrastructure which we do not see even in the best Government PHCs elsewhere! Till around 30 years ago, there were plenty of small mission hospitals scattered all over India where people were crowding in search for healing of body, mind and soul. Doctors knew their families and the root cause of their presenting complaints. Unless students get trained in the healing ministry, mission hospitals will not have healers to man them and ultimately they will all close down... A great wall of separation is already there between the physician and the patient. As a Christian institution founded and nurtured by the tears, prayers and sacrifices of men and women of God, how many committed youngsters are now leaving its portals, set on fire by the spirit of the Lord, to serve the downtrodden and the marginalized masses of India, who have no access to the five star facilities of the health care systems? The Master is sure to return one of these days and summon the trustees to give account of the talents HE had entrusted to them... Dr Annamma Geeverghese Dear Friends in Ludhiana, It is always a pleasure for me to be reminded about the work in CMC Ludhiana. I have been involved in it with so much satisfaction. It is a privilege to see it growing. After my eight years in the Eye department of CMC Ludhiana from 1962 to 1970, I was involved in the eye department of Groningen University. Professor Arin Chatterjee was my successor in CMC. At the age of 62, I retired from my professorship but was first involved in a consultancy for WHO in Nepal and later as teacher in missionary service in the eye department of NOOR Eye Hospital in Kabul. From 1983 till 1989 I did similar teaching work in Somalia. From about 2002 till now, the doctors and nurses who have stayed in the country have continued ophthalmic work including the surgery. At the age of seventy, I retired in a small place in Holland, and am living now in Appeldoorn... and so here I am narrating the story of how I came to CMC Ludhiana. I was twenty years old and had just started medical studies in Amsterdam University when the German armies conquered the Netherlands. I could continue medical studies during the following three years before I had to go into hiding avoiding being sent to Germany for work in the arms industry. But soon after the German surrender in 1945, Holland could pick up its regular activities. We followed lectures given by Canadian medical officers telling us about a wonder drug, Penicillin which had been invented during our time of isolation. Though we still lived in poverty I could finish medical studies in 1948. In 1950, the Dutch missionary board sent me and my wife to the island of New Guinea, now called Papua where many people still lived in the stone age and where I s a w m a n y e y e problems, particularly blindness among children. I had not been taught about this during my studies. That experience prompted me to go in for specialization in Ophthalmology. During that time, I met a lady doctor who had worked in Indonesia, and she taught me about blindness in children due to lack of vitamin A. The rest of the staff did not know anything about this problem, which was of no interest to them, because it was never seen in
our country. With my six years overseas experience as a missionary doctor I was invited to join the mission board. One day, the board received a letter sent by the London board, asking if the board perhaps knew an Ophthalmologist capable of teaching, who might be willing to join the staff of a certain medical college in India, based on Christian principles. The Dutch board found me fitting the requirement and I was willing to explore the possibilities. I went by boat and train to London to meet Dr Snow who had written the letter. I put the question, The information about this college mentions that there is an experienced American eye doctor working in CMC. Why do you need another one? Her reply was, Yes that is true but he is never in the college because he is treating blind people in the field. He leaves the department to a lady doctor, Dr. Uzgare, who was there already in Dr. Brown's time and is in need of further training herself. Patients come from the town asking for treatment and people in the department do not know much more than giving spectacles. I saw that I might be able to contribute something and felt the call to do it. My missionary board seconded us and in 1 9 6 2, m y w i f e Mandty and I came to India ( where I was to work for the next eight years), with our three children on a boat. We reached Calcutta in two weeks time. From there by steam train in a compartment for ourselves with sleeping facilities (fantastic!) and meals served, we arrived in one and a half day in Ludhiana, and were greeted by Dr. and Mrs Grüber. Our family went, as all newcomers did, to the language school in Mussoorie for Hindi lessons. Our children were taken into Woodstock school where they had a difficult first year due to their lack of English. After a few weeks I was called back to Ludhiana by Dr. Constable. There was nobody competent in the department. Dr. Uzgare and Dr. Pancham have gone to Lucknow for their qualifying examination. So what to do? First see who was capable of doing something! The building was old but that was not important. Dr Rambo had made a huge darkroom. I could not imagine how it could be used in daily practice. It was all black and hot to the extreme, and I began, besides running the clinic, designing and reconstructing the arrangements for eye examination. Students kept coming and I had to become familiar with the seasonal influence on the number of patients visiting. There existed an 'eye-season'. Given the climate, it still exists. I got familiar with Dr. Rambo's system of working in eye camps. I admired his zeal for helping blind people, always assisted by his wife and saw how he had chosen this way of working and let the teaching part for what it was. He had financial backing from the States and working in the field had been his choice. He had no time for teaching the basics. I had seen that in many places all sorts of people did eye work without basic knowlege of physiology or even anatomy and that had to be the foundation for the work. The challenges were manifold! What could we contribute in the t r e m e n d o u s e d u c a t i o n a l system of India? I n w h a t w a y could we make a difference? What was the students motivation? Why did they study medicine? Were they only thinking of a busy practice in towns with a good income? Would they ever consider serving the needs of poor people in the rural areas? Would the official outreach in Narangwal near Ludhiana, where students were posted for a few weeks, be an answer to one of the problems? Dr Cowan took a lead in drawing everybody's attention to the challenges and rewards of working in that field. Gradually the unit took shape and besides students for MBBS, students for MS in Ophthalmology came in for training. Among them Drs Daniel, Chopra, P.N. Seth, Keiki Mehta and several more whose names do not come to my mind now, but whose faces I see before me... With some I had incidental meetings later. I enjoy at my age of ninety the regular contacts with Dr Chatterjee! No other method could have made it clearer to me that our way of working was good, than the following experience: Once I had to go to Delhi to get some equipment. The college car was parked near the shop where I had to be. After coming out I found a former CMC student whose name I did not know waiting near the car. He had recognised the CMC car, and had waited there to meet the person who was in it, hoping it would be one of the staff. After his MBBS, he had moved to Delhi for further studies and used this opportunity to tell me that only in meeting students from other colleges, he could
compare how much better he had been trained and how much more he understood problems compared with students who had their education in other colleges! My wife Mandty and I as well as our children came to work and live in a world which in every aspect differed from the world we came from. I was used to reading English and had spoken it occasionally. Most students spoke better English than I did. In my pre-war school time, I had learned foreign languages, but this did not help me. I had to adopt more of English for teaching. I came from well equiped clinics with sufficient staff and instruments. Here there was a shortage of everything. The way the building was used was not acceptable to me. I felt compelled to rearrange almost everything to promote efficient transfer of knowledge and skills. In my training in Ophthalmology, I had become familiar in a natural way in the path of light as well as its path in different instruments. Technical aspects were interwoven with medical aspects. This was not so in India, I had to discover. In one college I was shown around and was also shown into a room where at least ten expensive larger instruments were stocked away. When I looked at one of these I was told, If you know how to use it, you can have it. I did look at it, saw that the source of light was turned ninety degrees from its normal position, put it right and the thing worked. Unfortunately, I was not to receive and take the instrument away. Later in the day I heard students say to one another: What professor is this who deals with technical problems!? I understood that in their eyes, I had trespassed into the realm of another field, which was not the business of ophthalmologists! There were more differences. I had to learn Punjabi as well and succeeded to a limited degree. I had to get familiar with the general way of dealing with one another. The buffalos in the street were not so much a problem for me as an interesting and characteristic feature of the local way of life! The Indian Ophthalmic Congress was held every year in another town, usually the capital of a state. Once I was dragged by other participants to the Governer sitting on an impressive chair. He had heard there was a non- Indian participant and he wanted to know something from him about CMC. You teachers are all British and American I assume? I answered, No sir. I have the Dutch nationality and we also have teachers from Germany, Scotland, Canada and Switzerland. So that is interesting... all foreign staff! No sir, we have Indian staff as well All Punjabis of course? No sir we have teachers from various states in India Do you take only Christian students?. No sir, we have fifty percent students with other faiths He was quite puzzled with this information. Later I understood better what intrigued him. I saw an advertisement for staff in some college. Some applicants were told: Vacancy filled. Half a year later the advertisement was repeated. And it turned out, only applicants from their own state were acceptable. CMC Ludhiana was different also in these aspects. Later during the twelve years in Groningen, I was requested by the World Health Organisation to visit problem areas for advice and by CBM to visit some of their projects (CBM had donated the money for the new Eye department in CMC). Once I went to Bangladesh and found a Ludhiana-trained doctor giving an I.V. to a dehydrated patient, in the most miserable circumstances. Nothing of proper equipment was available, but she had done whatever she could do! She even hung the plastic container on a nail in the wooden wall! At the age of sixty two, I asked for an early retirement from the University but could continue directly working in Nepal for WHO, in the Eye hospital, NOOR in Kabul, Afghanistan and in Somalia for CBM. In that country where most people are living a nomadic life, were two illtrained eye doctors available for six million people! I trained local doctors enabling them to deal with the main causes of blindness. Nurses were also trained to perform surgery. They all did useful work after I left. My pleasure in epidemiology found satisfaction in the use of ophthalmic photography. With such documents from at least ten different countries, I could compose courses with pictures on CDs with descriptions in booklets... I have enough on which to keep myself busy and can gratefully say: My work was for a king! I may ask in the morning, What would You have me do today? Professor Simon Franken Appeldoorn, The Netherlands
October 2010. The GDBP NATCON 2010 was the first ever Pediatric National conference held in Punjab. The event was inaugurated by the H'norable Health Minister, Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla. The following two days saw deliberations on various topics on childhood growth, developmental and behavioral problems. th The 28 Dr LH Lobo Memorial Oration was organized jointly by the Dr L.H. Lobo Memorial Trust and Department of Orthopaedics in October 2010 in memory of the late Dr. L.H. Lobo, an eminent and renowned Orthopaedic Surgeon and former Professor & Head of Orthopaedics department, and Principal of the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana. This year we had the pleasure of having Dr Ananthakrishnan (MD), a very senior consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in U.S.A. as the chief guest, to deliver the Oration. Dr Ananthakrishnan has been visiting C.M.C every year for last fifteen years & contributing a lot in teaching and updating the surgical skills of doctors here. This year the oration was on An overview of joint replacement over the last 40 years, with emphasis on hip and knee. Dr Raj Bahadur, Director, GMCH, Chandigarh, was the guest of honour. The Department of Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, organized the 1st Paediatric Cardiac Surgery Programme-2010- "The Heart of a Champion" in November 2010. The Govt of Punjab, under the National Rural Health Mission has chosen the Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana to be one of the few hospitals in Punjab to conduct surgeries for any Govt. or Govt.-aided school-going child, totally free of cost. An educative brochure was released by the Health Minister, Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla on the occasion. The program also created awareness about Heart Disease and its treatment and tips were given to the parents and the children about basic dental hygiene and nutrition as well. The surgical team was led by Dr Harinder Singh Bedi, Head of Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgery at CMC Ludhiana. Dr Abraham G Thomas, Director, CMC Ludhiana, said that we are committed to bringing International level care to the children of this region so that no child should be denied therapy just because of cost. The Department of Anaesthesia organised the 11th North Zone Conference in November 2010. Almost 500 delegates attended the conference. Workshops on various aspects of anaesthesia were conducted by foreign faculty and eminent faculty from India. The Chief Guest was Mr. Dawar ( Ex-MLA ) and the Guest of Honour was Dr. Baljinder Kaur ( Ex Professor and Head, Anaesthesia department ). The Department of Pediatrics organized the 9th National Conference of the Growth, Development and Behavioral Pediatrics Chapter of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics in Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Dr Abraham G Thomas, Director, CMCL and Dr Harinder Singh Bedi, Head CTVS, flanked by children who were surgically treated for heart diseases at the CMCH, Ludhiana.
The Department of Ophthalmology, CMC, Ludhiana th organized its 7 Annual Ophthalmic Quiz and an awareness talk for Doctors and medical students in September 2010. Rohit Salim (MBBS Batch of 2007) spoke on 'Awareness about Eye donation' which was followed by the Quiz. Cynthia Susan & Asha Thomas from the Batch of 2007 emerged the winners in this closely contested quiz. The Chief Guest for the occasion was Dr. A.G. Thomas, Director, CMC & Hospital. The new private OPD wing of the Obstetrics & Gynecology department was inaugurated in September 2010 by the Honourable Chairman and members of CMCL society. This is a modern and well equipped set-up with 4 consultation chambers for private patients. Computerized colposcopy, infertility clinic with well equipped lab and IUI facilities, non-stress test facilities for antenatal patients, special pediatric OPD with immunization facilities are all available under one roof in this OPD block. Dr AG Thomas giving away Mementoes to the Students of Batch of Adm. 2006 Dr A. Bhattacharya Memorial Ross Volleyball Trophy being given by Dr SM Bhatti Dr SM Bhatti with the Editorial Board releasing the College Magazine Dr AG Thomas honoring the Chief Guest, Dr RN Sud of the Pioneer Batch
A new ICU was inaugurated during the Governing Body meeting held in September 2010 by our esteemed Chairman, Dr Rajinder Gyani and Vice Chairman of the CMC Ludhiana Society, Dr Sudhir Joseph. The Director, Associate Director and other senior administrators and members of the Governing Body were present on the occasion. was directed by Dr. Vinay Gaikwad. A Christmas play was adapted for stage from the popular medical TV series, M.A.S.H. It was directed by Drs Chris Baby & George Abraham. Dr. George Koshy (Registrar, CMCH) shared the Christmas message. The Director, Dr. Abraham G Thomas released the Institutional Calendar during the campfire. A special Christmas shadow choreography was the highlight during the campfire. Many years ago rural villages had an amusement program using shadow pictures. We performed the same with a 20 member crew. The choreography titled It's All About Love depicted the life of Jesus Christ. It was directed by Amritha John & Sharin Jacob. A new complex of a p a r t m e n t s f o r senior staff has been constructed in the Morning Side lawns behind the Harvey Hostel complex. There are two buildings with 6 floors each and 2 apartments per floor. With all the moving and shifting taking place, we wish everyone happy nesting! The evening ended with an exuberant band procession of Santa and his elves on a chariot. The program was coordinated by the Chaplain, Rev. Stanley Thomas. Songs can be viewed on www.youtube.com and the DVDs are available with the Fellowship department. c/o Rev. Stanley Thomas, Chaplain & Administrative Head, Fellowship Department, CMC Ludhiana. Ph. : 0161-2665956, 5026999; ext:5063, 5545 (office) Email: cmcfellowship@rediffmail.com. This year, we had a blessed Institutional Christmas Carol Service and Campfire. The institutional choir comprised of 60 members combined from all the colleges of CMC, Ludhiana and was directed by Dr. Arjin Philips. The carols were beautifully sung. The senior choir of 40 members with doctors, nurses & staff of the institution, As we look back, the last five and a half years have gone by too slowly for some and too fast for others. Nonetheless, the treasure trove of experiences we gained makes us realize how we've grown (in more dimensions than one) and finally are becoming something close to 'mature'! CMC has given
us a lot, and to give thanks for everything and also to dedicate ourselves to the healing ministry, we got together as a class - a record 47 out of 50 - on 14th December 2010 for our Baccalaureate service. We are forever indebted to our parents, teachers and our friends for helping us become the people we are and we hope to make them all proud of us, by being the best. We are looking forward to our service obligations with excitement and a little apprehension. Most of us will continue to serve our Alma Mater as house doctors, while a few of us will go out to spread the light and serve in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala. At this juncture, where the end is the beginning, we look back and forward and realize that this cocoon of years in CMC will always hold a special place in our hearts! Yet this is not a full stop for us, there's more to come... And here's wishing everyone the best! A few words of inspiration to my batch mates from our baccalaureate song - "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack: I hope you never lose your sense of wonder; You get your fill to eat, but always keep that hunger; May you never take one single breath for granted ;Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance ;Give the heavens above, More than just a passing glance ;I hope you still feel small, when you stand by the ocean ;Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens Never settle for the path of least resistance ;Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking ;Loving might be a mistake, but it's worth making ;When you come close to selling out, Reconsider ;And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance - I hope you dance! Dr. Joseph Abraham Batch of 2005 (Carpe Diem) Dr. Mary Abraham (10/08/1954 23/12/2010) We regret the demise of Dr. Mary Abraham, rd Professor, Dept. of Ob-Gynae on 23 December 2010 in a car accident in Kerala. th She was born on 10 August 1954. After completing her schooling under the Madras University; she did her MBBS from Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh in 1981. She joined CMC in July 1985 for post-graduation in Ob-Gynae. She later joined the department in 1989 as a Registrar, and gradually rose to the position of Professor and Head of the Department in February 2007. A wonderful teacher and an extraordinary clinician, she inspired and guided her graduate and postgraduate students and touched their lives in an indelible manner with her soft, gentle and motherly ways. Her confidence and gentle demeanor made her patients love and trust her. She is survived by her husband, Dr John Abraham, Professor in the Dept. of Anaesthesia, CMC Ludhiana. We deeply regret the passing of Dr Neerupama Bhatia (Batch of 1960). Neeru was a Pathologist in the Chicago area. She was a soft spoken and dignified lady. She is survived by her husband Gul and son Vivek. We are sad to inform the passing of Dr Sharmilla Kumari, who did her MD Pathology from CMCL in July 1990. She was the wife of Dr Hemant Kumar, of the Batch of 1976. They were in the Bilaspur Institute of Medical Sciences in Chattisgarh. Dr Hemant may be contacted at +91-9926129247 Our Privilege to Serve The patients in the hospital are very important to us; They are our esteemed guests. We are here because of our patients; The patients are not here because of us. We are committed to provide the best treatment and services; To bring healing in body, mind and spirit. We must endeavor to cure; comfort and care at all cost, As this is our utmost duty; and the purpose of our being healthcare professionals. It is our endeavour to release 2 issues of the Alumni Xpress each year. It has a wide readership as indicated by your e mails. We would appreciate contributions towards covering the cost of the Newsletter which is Rs 15,000 to 20,000 for designing, printing and posting 500 copies of an issue. Contributions may be made in the name of the Association of Medical Alumni CMCL with a letter indicating that it is for the Newsletter. The contributions may be posted: c/o The President, Association of Medical Alumni, CMC Ludhiana-141008, Punjab, India. Editorial Board : Dr Jugesh Chhatwal Dr Nitin Batra Dr Sheena Singh Dr Naveen Kakkar Dr Gagandeep Kwatra Dr Rupinder Kaur Designed By Dr S B Pandhi www.cranialsprinters.com 0161-2421872