Bangalore's St Martha Hospital completes 125 years

From treating victims of plague in the late 1870s, St Martha’s Hospital has come a long way as it celebrates its  125th year.

Owned and run by the Good Shepherd Sisters, St Martha’s Hospital has given the people of Bangalore, especially the poorer sections, compassionate medical and nursing care.

The superior of the convent, Mother Visitation Loesch, took the lead in the setting up of the  hospital, which began with contributions from the public. Within a short span, a sum of Rs13,000 was raised, sufficient those days to put up the required buildings. The hospital had then accommodated 50 in-patients.

In 1964, it expanded its service by setting up a rural health centre, 15 km from Bangalore. The centre caters to the needs of 15 villages near Uttarahalli. Immunisation programmes and maternal and child welfare programmes were also offered in city slums, from time to time.

“What is special about the hospital is that there has never been an advertisement about the care and facilities it offered. Satisfied patients spread the word,” says Prameela P, one of the sisters of Good Shepherd.

“The sisters have kept pace with modernisation and all specialisations,” said Dr Ajit V Bhide, psychiatrist.

The hospital currently treats over 2.50 lakh out-patients and 21,000 in-patients annually. Out of the 534 beds available, 410 are earmarked for general ward patients, who are given free or concessional treatment on a case-to-case basis by the sisters.