On World Health Day 2018, Indian Catholic Matters is proud to present you a story of a silent but immensely credible work being done by a little-known group of 1000 nuns in India who are also highly qualified doctors. In an age where healthcare is looked upon as a business, here’s a story about how these Sister Doctors have dedicated their lives in the service of the unreached and less reached of our country. They provide preventive, curative, promotive and palliative care service and thus contribute a lot to restore health and wholeness of the people who live in the medically underserved areas of our great nation. They follow the footsteps of Jesus the Divine Healer, with great passion for God and compassion for humanity.
By Sr. Dr. Beena, UMI
Today healthcare is going through a challenging historical context in serving the sick and suffering. Healthcare services have become a business. The commitment, ethics and dedication of doctors are constantly challenged by the growing consumerism, profit-motivated healthcare practices. The compassionate caring model of Christian Health Care Mission of bringing healing and wholeness, leading to salvation is becoming increasingly difficult. It is in this context, the Sister Doctors – a band of professionals with unique identity and dual responsibility do play the role of greater significance. On the one hand, the commitment to the call as consecrated persons and on the other hand the service as highly-skilled professionals. They stand as an admirable witness to the authentic call of this noble medical profession.
It is encouraging to learn that there are about 1000 Sister Doctors belonging to a 104 religious congregations, who are serving the people of India, with utmost dedication, compassion and without counting the cost. They attend to the healthcare needs of the people in the remote and rural parts of India where medical technology and modern facilities are still not available. These are the people doing everything with an extraordinary passion for the needy in the field of medicine.
Since the last several decades, Sister Doctors through their heroic commitment have contributed a lot to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate. Their tireless efforts have reduced the disease burden due to infectious and other non-communicable diseases of our country.
A majority of the Sister Doctors are qualified in various broad specialties such as gynaecology, paediatrics, medicine, and surgery. They have dedicated their lives in the service of the unreached and less reached of our country. They provide preventive, curative, promotive and palliative care service and thus contribute a lot to restore health and wholeness of the people who live in the medically underserved areas of our great nation. They follow the footsteps of Jesus the Divine Healer, with great passion for God and compassion for humanity.
Having ventured to make a difference to the poor and downtrodden of the society, the Sister Doctors have their own share of difficulties such as lack of qualified personnel, poor infrastructure, inadequately equipped centres and lack of opportunity to update oneself. It’s a challenge to manage serious and complicated cases single-handedly with no other doctors, in the near vicinity for a second opinion. Under such circumstances, many times Sister Doctors have faced uncertainties and felt the pain and anguish of isolation. Amidst such a background, few seniors came together and planned a common platform to bring the Sister Doctors under one umbrella to create sisterhood in solidarity to update their professional expertise and share their experiences.
The Sister Doctors Forum of India (SDFI) was founded on 5th June, 1993 during the Golden Jubilee celebration and National Convention of the Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) in Ernakulam under the able leadership of Sr. Dr. Lilian JMJ and with the support of Rev. Fr. John Vattamattam SVD the then Director of CHAI, with a membership of 450 Sister Doctors.
In a span of 25 years, it has grown from a small association to a forum of about 1000 Sister Doctors under the able leadership of Sr. Dr. Lillian JMJ, Sr. Dr. Hermina SSA, late Sr. Dr. Lina HC and Sr. Dr. Lucian SCC. Presently, I steer the association as its National President.
On 4th February, 2009, the SDFI was formally registered as a trust in New Delhi. In the initial years, SDFI had its office in the premises of St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore. Currently, the functioning office is at Malur, Bangalore.
The following are the objectives of SDFI:
- To develop and foster solidarity and fellowship among the members through mutual sharing of the vision and experience, and exchange of views.
- To strengthen and deepen the religious commitment and spiritual life and to evolve a specific spirituality which will help the members in the healing ministry.
- To uphold Christian principles, values and ethics in health care practices.
- To update professional knowledge, skills and attitude of the members by continuing medical education and improve the quality and standards of health care services
- To respond to the urgent needs of the times, in the field of health and development.
- To have a preferential option for the poor and marginalized, especially the women, empowering and enabling them to attain and maintain health and full human development and help them in their struggle for their rights, in the field of health
- To publish books, journals, magazines, pamphlets, newsletters and other materials and to undertake research to improve the health of the people.
- To promote community health and family welfare programs with a holistic approach to health and healing.
For better co-ordination, SDFI has divided itself to eight regions – Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Sisters Doctors Forum of India (SDFI) organizes various activities across the country, like Save the Girl Child Campaign, Anaemia control and treatment programs, Mother and Child welfare initiatives and School Health Education. In the recent past, the forum has launched a nationwide camp on prevention of cancers in women through screening and awareness creation. Few Sister Doctors are actively participating in the National Health programs like Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP), National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), Reproductive and Child Health Program (RCH) and the Pradhan Mantri Matrutva Surakshit Seva. Besides this, capacity building trainings and Continuous Medical Education (CME) sessions are organized at Regional and National levels.
SDFI works and collaborates with other organizations like Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) Health Commission, Catholic Health Association of India, St. Johns Medical College Hospital, St. Johns Medical College Alumni Association (SJMCAA), Catholic Medical Mission Board, Catholic Relief Services, Caritas India and other likeminded organizations. Members of the SDFI have always been working for the healing of the sick, the holistic interests of the downtrodden and people affected by the calamitous situations like earthquake, floods, the Tsunami, and Khandamal relief work, rendering service wherever needed.
This year, as SDFI celebrates its Silver Jubilee, it’s a time of introspection to reflect on the ways and means to walk more fruitfully in the footsteps of Jesus the Divine Healer. This magnanimous event also gestures each one of the Sister Doctors to look into the future and envisage how to create an impact and make a difference as a unique group of healers who not only cure but more importantly lead people to wholeness.
Sr. Dr. Beena (MD) is religious sister in the Order of Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI). She has completed her MBBS & MS (Gynaecology) from St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore. She also holds a Diploma in Minimal Access Surgery (DMAS) from World Laparoscopy Hospital, Gurgaon and has a Fellowship in Laparoscopic Surgery from Kiel University, Germany. Additionally, she is an Assistant Executive Director, Consultant – Gynaecologist, DNB Teacher (OBGy) at Holy Family Hospital, Bandra, Mumbai and is the Provincial Councillor and SDFI President.