St Andrew's Church 
Kettering Northamptonshire UK   

Batlagundu

The hospital is run by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross of Chavavod; it is situated next to the Convent in Batlagundu. Batlagundu is a remote rural village that lies at the foot of the Kodikanal Hills in the District of Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. The hospital was opened in 1974 with 40 beds and has had extensive extensions and now has 150 beds. The hospital provides health care for Medical, Surgical, Orthopaedic, Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Paediatric patients. They also have facilities for X-Ray, Ultra sound scanning, Pathology Laboratories, ECG and Cardiac Monitoring.

Local women at work on the extension of the Hospital. 

THE AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THE HOSPITAL
As committed persons sharing the healing ministry of Christ, rendering joyful service without counting the cost. To serve all without discrimination of caste or creed, rendering special service to the poor and marginalised. To respond to the needs of the locality and to reach out to the village with their public health programme, with sole aim of service, to make the person WHOLE. To provide a good working environment for the team members and to instil and encourage in each one of them the noble principle of "Service with Joy", especially to the poor whom society rejects and to provide the best care possible with minimal expenditure.

The hospital meets the health needs of the 40,000 poor people from the local village of Batlagundu, and another 40,000 poor from the local vicinity. Patients travel as far as an 80 kilometres radius to receive medical care. The typical illnesses treated are Cholera, Typhoid, Tuberculosis in children, as well as patients needing emergency surgery for appendicitis and gastric ulcers. On average they have 150 deliveries of babies a months usually being more complicated labours, as often the mothers have been in labour for many days at home with little progress.

Children in Batlagundu with toys given by the people of Kettering

Over the past few years St. Andrew's Church, Kettering have supported the Sisters with their work in a number of ways, the Missions Committee through the PCC has donated monies for 2 different projects. The initial donation went to-wards setting up the TB inoculation programme, and another donation of money was given to purchase a piece of land to build a new clinic in a rural village. The Church has also supported the Sisters most importantly by prayer and continual contact through Church members.