St. Martha's Hospital , Bengaluru (est. 1886)

Our History
The only Hospital owned and managed in the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of Good Shepherd was started in 1886.
During the decades of 1870 – 1880, there were a series of calamities starting with two years of drought, followed by famine and plague. Many people died of these catastrophes.

The general health of the people of Bangalore also affected due to the above mentioned catastrophes. There were many deaths in the families in the city.

God always weeps with His suffering people. He searches for hearts, minds and hands, willing to be used to bring them His comfort and love. And so our dear Sr. Visitation Leusch, Superior of the Good Shepherd Convent at Bangalore, was one such person. She wanted to respond to the urgent need of the time by starting a dispensary/ small hospital, although it was not easy to start such a project.

A site of 20 acres was donated to the Good Shepherd Sisters by the Maharaja of Mysore on July 28, 1884. It was the eve of the feast of St. Martha. So the new Hospital got the name St. Martha, as the patron saint of the hospital.

The bricks and stones of the building symbolized the toil and sweat of the ordinary people who were caught up in the vision of the founders. It would be a "peoples' hospital", and such it has remained to this day.

After the sudden death of Mother Visitation Leusch, another Superior, Sr. M. Hyacinth Gonnet, (Switzerland origin) was appointed. She remained for 20 years. She tenaciously held on to the dream of the founders, and guided the Hospital through the early tempestuous years .

During the decades of the nineteen thirties, forties, and fifties, the Hospital continued and consolidated its services with loving concern for its patients.

Mother Visitation Leusch Sr. M. Hyacinth Gonnet,

A Nursing School was started in 1933.
A new and greater challenge was being offered to the Sisters when the Indian Catholic Bishops requested them to allow the Hospital to be used for St. John's Medical College, which was about to be opened in the City. 1962, the then Provincial of India, Sr. Aloysius, signed with His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, an agreement binding our destiny to that of the Medical College for 20 years. She was a guiding and inspiring force throughout the 20 year period of affiliation the Hospital with the College.

The emphasis on Primary Health care and Preventive Care in the curriculum saw a new development in the Hospital and School of Nursing. To meet this requirement the School of Nursing launched out the community Health programme in 1966, at Uthrahalli, 15 km away from St. Martha’s Hospital. The pioneer of this Project was the late Sr. Breda McCoy (formerly known as Mother Colman), the then Principal of the School of Nursing. This was the only health facility for the people in Uthrahalli and many surrounding villages

The Surgical Block to accommodate 200 patients was opened in 1967. Five operating theaters were erected. The O.P.D. expanded its facilities to offer 16 different specialties. The maternity ward was found inadequate for the increasing demands on its services; a 2-storey block was constructed in 1966. Specialized needs of the neo-natal required diverse services for them; the Premature Unit and Sick Nursery were built in 1970. The increased incidence of cardiac problems required special care, and the Coronary Care Unit was constructed in 1975. On the first floor, a ward was opened for the seriously ill patients who needed intensive care. Within a short span of time, the Hospital had grown from an easily-managed 200 beds to one of 600 beds.

NEW INFRA-STRUCTURES were required in order to cater to this increased load of work; Laboratories, X-Ray facilities, E.C.G., Pharmacy, Dietary Departments, Laundry, were all expanded and updated. Centres for Speech and Hearing, Physiotherapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics came as a natural adjunct to the complete care of the patients, which St. Martha's now offered to its patients. Among the many activities in the hospital, there are two important ones; the Pro –Life and Pastoral Health Care which gives hope and new life to humankind .

Photo of the Community with the Province Leader Sr. Therese Meera – October 2018
At present there are 18 Sisters in the Community.

LOCAL LEADERSHIP
Sr. Gracy Thomas , Local Leader
St. Martha's Hospital Community, 5,
Nrupathunga Road, Bangalore 560 001
Ph. No (Comty): 080 40128210
Ph. No (Hos): 080 40128250.
E-mail: smhcommunity@gmail.com

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