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Chinchpada Christian Hospital

Update on Chinchpada Christian Hospital

Located in central India, Chinchpada is just 90 miles from the coast of the Arabian Sea and about 200 miles from Mumbai. Chinchpada is in the Nandurbar District, which has a high prevalence of anemia, sickle cell disease, and malnutrition, especially in children.

With 50 beds, 7 doctors, and 25 nurses, it is amazing that they care for 3,000 inpatients and 21,000 outpatients each year. The doctors deliver about 75 babies a year and perform about 400 surgeries.

Their greatest infrastructure needs are for improved staff housing, a new training center, and a school for the staff children.

If you feel led to help meet these needs, please click the button below.

Battling Tuberculosis and Tetanus

At EHA’s Chinchpada Christian Hospital (CCH), the staff has the privilege of witnessing incredible stories of resilience and transformation. Shiv’s story is no exception.

Shiv arrived at CCH burdened by months of battling tuberculosis. The medical team quickly identified another grave concern—tetanus. The road to recovery was long and challenging, but Shiv’s determination to overcome his illnesses was unwavering.

During his six-week stay, Shiv reached a critical point in his recovery at the three-week mark. Concerned about finances and his son’s overall health, Shiv’s father wanted to give up and take him home. But the EHA staff was able to reassure him that Shiv’s care would continue at no cost, allowing him to receive the comprehensive treatment he desperately needed.

The CCH team worked tirelessly to provide the best care possible, ensuring Shiv’s well-being and guiding him back to health. Shiv was tended to in a private room with new air-handling units that proved critical for the staff’s safety and Shiv’s tuberculosis recovery.

After weeks of intensive care, Shiv emerged triumphant. His health restored, he was ready to reunite with his family, armed with a renewed zest for life. The compassion and support shown by CCH staff not only healed Shiv’s body but also uplifted his spirit.

Embracing a Brighter Future

Meet Maya, a resilient woman who faced a life-threatening situation when she consumed organophosphate pesticides. Her caring neighbors swiftly brought her to Chinchpada Christian Hospital, where their dedicated team sprang into action.

CCH staff admitted her to the intensive care unit, where she received around-the-clock care and support. For an entire month, the staff looked after Maya and worked tirelessly to aid her gradual recovery.

Maya’s story is a testament to the power of timely intervention and the unwavering commitment of the CCH hospital team. Her determination to heal, coupled with their specialized care, has enabled her to overcome the darkest moments and embrace a brighter future.

Utter Despair Turned to Joy

The young woman could be seen writhing in the ICU bed, sweating with fever, clutching her head, and occasionally vomiting. Ironically, it was her mother who was wailing. “Where shall I get money for her medicines; there is no one who will help me! Let me take my daughter home to die…there is no hope for us!”

The staff at Chinchpada Christian Hospital calmed the mother down, and once she stopped sobbing, she explained that she had spent all the meager resources she had earned before the COVID-19 lockdown; she was a widow and had to support her family of five. There was now no work to be had. Just getting her daughter, Sonali, to Chinchpada was the end of a long series of unhelpful medical treatment and a huge struggle to find transportation.

But Sonali’s fever and headaches had worsened, and her mother knew she needed help. The staff at Chinchpada quickly reassured them both that they did not need to worry about paying for medical treatment. They fed the women nutritious meals, including eggs for protein—the best food they had had in some time. The doctors explained their concern that Sonali was critically ill, possibly with tuberculous meningitis. Ideally she needed a CT scan or an MRI of her brain, but there was no way she could afford to go to a hospital that offered those services. So the team at Chinchpada determined to do their best to help her heal.

Sonali spent five days in the ICU with dangerously high pressure on her brain, her headaches and consciousness waxing and waning. With careful monitoring and treatment, she gradually improved. After another five days in the ward, Sonali’s injections were tapered down to nothing. She was ready to be discharged, and while the hospital staff would have liked to make the extra effort to drive these two women the six miles to their home, there was no hospital vehicle available. Her mother cheerfully exclaimed, “Oh, that’s no problem. How can we expect this of you after all you have done for us?” And Sonali expressed her agreement with her beaming smile as they walked out the hospital door toward home.

Emergency Operation in the HDU

Ranjana was brought in to Chinchpada Christian Hospital, 33 weeks pregnant and breathless. After further examination, the doctors found that her oxygen saturation was low and she had significant heart issues brought on by pregnancy. They treated Ranjana for these conditions and recommended that the couple transfer to a facility with a neonatal ICU and specialists in obstetrics and pediatrics.

Just a few days later, Ranjana and her husband were back, and this time she was in severe respiratory distress and was extremely restless. They had tried to visit a more advanced facility but found they could not afford it. Ranjana was immediately connected to a ventilator and received IV medications to reduce her blood pressure. Both mother and baby were in danger. The doctors explained the risks of the needed C-section, but Ranjana’s family had witnessed the tireless efforts of the entire Chinchpada team to save these two patients through the night. They signed the high-risk consent with no hesitation. It was a gift for the staff to have this family’s trust, even though the medical team was fearful of losing both lives despite their best efforts. But they shared with the couple that God was aware of all their challenges, and He was able to intervene on their behalf as they pleaded with Him to save this young woman and her unborn baby.

The doctors determined that they could not even risk moving her from the High Dependency Unit (HDU) to the operating room, so everyone pitched in and moved all the needed equipment under the leadership of Dr. Deepak, pediatric surgeon, and Dr. Arun, anesthetist. Within minutes, everything was ready, and after another prayer, the infant was delivered quickly by Dr. Deepak’s skillful hands. To everyone’s dismay, the 2.6-pound preemie came out blue, with no heartbeat or breath. He was immediately intubated, resuscitated, and put in a warmer with a nurse hand-ventilating him—manually squeezing a bag to move the air in and out of his tiny lungs.

Ranjana made a strong recovery over the next few days and was able to be taken off the ventilator and all medications. The infant, however, struggled for his life, and nurses and family members took turns hand-ventilating him with a bag for three days around the clock. Prayers went up for this baby as staff, family, and friends interceded for him.

By the end of the week, Chinchpada staff were thrilled to be able to see Ranjana sitting up in her bed, holding the brave little warrior who had come through unscathed. The couple acknowledged the wonder-working God who had chosen to spare both the mother and the child, and they asked the staff to name the baby before they left for home.

This little one will long remind the team at Chinchpada of the death-defying hope that they can dare to have in our God. The baby’s name is Samson.

Severe Tetanus Healed at Chinchpada

Thanks to vaccinations, the West has virtually eradicated the scourge of tetanus. But due to a lack of resources and accessibility, thousands of Indians remain unvaccinated. At Chinchpada Christian Hospital in rural Maharashtra, many residents remain unprotected from tetanus. Aarav was one such patient. A laborer in the nearby city of Surat, he was brought to Chinchpada after being turned away by several government hospitals. Aarav’s severe malnutrition, alcohol withdrawal, and a festering wound on his big toe provided a challenge for Drs. Deepak and Anita Singh.

Dr. Deepak shared his frustration as he considered the situation, “Why in this day and age of technological advancement do we still have a young man with severe tetanus? Why had no one given him a tetanus injection that cost only three cents?” Dr. Deepak also lamented the affects of alcohol abuse and illiteracy on this man’s family. “What kind of a future can his children look forward to? How long will the people in our land continue to live in such depravity?”

Determined to do all that they could to help Aarav, the hospital staff began working to save his life. Once they received the proper medicine from nearby Surat, they began operating on his gangrenous toe. From conducting a tracheostomy to managing regular spasms during his procedure, the work done on Aarav was dangerous. With his parents anxiously awaiting news, the hospital staff were gracious and kind, sharing updates on his condition often.

After a full month of care at Chinchpada Christian Hospital, Aarav was able to walk and was released. He and his family rejoiced at the wonderful care they had received and the love of God they had been shown in their time on the hospital grounds. Because of Drs. Deepak and Anita Singh and their team’s generosity, Aarav was nursed back to health.

Changes at Chinchpada Christian Hospital

God has brought big changes to Chinchpada Christian Hospital since Drs. Deepak and Ashita Singh were sent to revitalize this EHA location in October of 2014. The outpatient department sees between 50 and 70 patients daily. Their ICU is well utilized—and they had to expand from 4 beds to 7 to keep up with demand. Chinchpada’s surgeons are kept busy, especially with endourologic and laparoscopic work. The Palliative Care Team is ministering to between 125 and 150 terminally ill patients at their homes, providing pain relief and end-of-life care.

Chinchpada Christian Hospital now boasts 6 doctors, 17 nurses, 2 lab technicians, 3 pharmacists, and a number of support staff, bringing the total staff strength to 54. The whole team is thrilled to be using all of the equipment and supplies that EHA USA was able to send in the shipping container filled by Samaritan’s Purse. And all of this at a location that had been on the brink of closure!

One story of their impact revolves around a man from a nearby village. Bikram was brought into Chinchpada with cardiogenic shock after a heart attack. He was disoriented, had unmeasurably low blood pressure, and had a very low heart rate. After being admitted to the ICU and medicated, his shock gradually resolved and his heart rhythm normalized. Bikram still needed oxygen for five more days, so as he recuperated, the staff began to share about the love of God with him and his family. They told him that they believed God had brought him to their hospital with an eternal purpose. After listening to them tell of God’s redeeming grace, Bikram gratefully accepted their prayer and invitation to join His family.

Joy in Spite of Sickness

She was only 18, but Mangala was already mother to a 10-month old baby. When she arrived at Chinchpada Christian Hospital, she had been suffering from a fever and breathlessness for several days. Diagnosed with sickle cell disease, Mangala was seriously anemic, hypoxic, and jaundiced, with a white blood cell count escalating above 60,000 (5,000-10,000 is the normal range).

She spent ten days in Chinchpada’s ICU with staff keeping a close eye on her 24/7. Slowly Mangala began to improve, with her white blood cell counts coming down, her hypoxia resolving, and her temperature settling back to normal. Every time the staff tended her, they received a beaming smile from behind her oxygen mask—even through her worst pain. She joined in and gladly welcomed their prayers for God’s healing touch, especially when her fever of 103 persisted even on day seven. Mangala and her family gave the Chinchpada staff their complete trust, never doubting that they were doing their very best. Her family left no stone unturned in bringing in the many units of blood that she required, even though they had to borrow money to do so. Everyone rejoiced when she left the hospital for home, her beautiful parting smile a reminder of God’s healing and grace.

Joy in Trying out New Equipment and Supplies

The blessings and benefits of the contents of the trans-oceanic shipping container received at Chinchpada are appreciated anew each day, as their staff continue to use each item. This equipment is of incredible value practically, and is worth as much as $150,000 or more monetarily. The most expensive items include anesthesia machines, an infant incubator and ventilator, fetal monitors, infusion pumps, vital sign monitors, laryngoscopes, an endoscope, wheelchairs, walkers, and an oxygen concentrator.

At US hospitals we simply take for granted something as simple as adequate lighting for surgery. But when Dr. Deepak Singh tried out the medical headlamp pictured above, he was thrilled not to struggle with illumination of difficult areas of the abdomen during a six-hour surgery.

The operating room staff have been delighted to try out new and colorful scrubs. And Dr. Ashita Singh is shown at left, hard at work with their new microscope. We are so thankful to EHA’s generous donors and Samaritan’s Purse and World Medical Mission for making possible the sending of this container filled with gently used medical equipment and brand new supplies. We hope to send another container to some of EHA’s other hospitals soon.

The Container Has Arrived!

Thanks to the hard work and initiative of Samaritan’s Purse and World Medical Mission, the large shipping container from Supreme Task filled with gently used medical equipment and brand new supplies has arrived at Chinchpada Christian Hospital. The staff have been overjoyed as they unpack the many items and set them up for use.

Each piece of medical equipment was carefully gone over by a bio-technical engineer before shipping to ensure that it worked properly and was compatible for India. Every electrical item was sent with an individual step-down transformer so that it would work with the Indian electrical system. The materials were carefully packed and are quite extensive.

Some of the more significant pieces of equipment include an anesthesia work station, an endoscope, a microscope, an infusion pump, and several patient monitors. On the other hand, the gift of crutches for this handicapped man was a priceless gift—previously, he used a stick to get around. There are so many things we take for granted regarding our medical care here in the US. Each and every piece of equipment, furniture, medical clothing, and medical supplies fills a huge need in Chinchpada, especially since the hospital was closed for a time and is now building their practice back up. There isn’t anything they don’t need. We want to thank the generous donors who gave to send this shipping container, and the faithful prayer warriors who prayed it through its journey and through customs.

Working Without Needed Medication

Facing the extra challenge of caring for patients without the needed medication and equipment is something the doctors at Chinchpada Christian Hospital do every day. Chinchpada was recently reopened after a year-long closure, and they desperately need funds to purchase a supply of many medications as well as a number of pieces of equipment.

Ashabai is a 50-year-old grandmother who came to Chinchpada struggling with congestive cardiac failure and with swelling all over her body. She was also struggling to breathe, and her oxygen saturation was at 70% (normal is over 95%). What she really needed was to be hooked up to a ventilator to help her breathing and decongest her lungs, but Chinchpada doesn’t have one.

Instead, Ashabai was started on medication and slowly began to improve. The following morning her heart rate spiked to 180 beats per minute. Dr. Ashita wanted to give her a specific medication to help this condition, but Chinchpada didn’t have any in stock. When told this information, Ashabai said she would pray. As she prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and faith, her heart rate dropped to 140, and eventually came down to 80. The staff was thrilled that God could work despite a lack of medicine, equipment, or personal expertise.

Surgical Success Against the Odds

Struggling to care for patients without the needed equipment is something the doctors at Chinchpada Christian Hospital do every day. Chinchpada was recently reopened after a year-long closure, and they desperately need everything from ventilators to ultrasound machines.

Recently one-year-old Nabil was brought in to the hospital by his worried parents. He had aspirated an apple seed and it was lodged in his windpipe. A preliminary exam with an x-ray showed that the seed needed to be removed with a bronchoscope or he would not live much longer.

But Chinchpada does not yet have a bronchoscope, so the surgeon encouraged the parents to take Nabil to a center better equipped to handle such emergencies. Unfortunately, the nearest facility was over 60 miles away, and they had no way to get there. The hospital staff called several centers to locate a specialist who had the equipment and the skill needed, but because it was a holiday, no one was available.

In desperation, they prayed and sought guidance from God. They spoke again to one of the specialists and asked to borrow his equipment. Even though this doctor had never met them, he agreed. A friend of the family drove three hours by motorcycle to bring the equipment to Chinchpada. They began the procedure with much trepidation and prayer, but it was successful and the seed was removed. The child recovered fully and went home on the third day.

New Staff Quarters Completed

Chichpada Christian Hospital is thrilled that the rebuilding and renovation work that has been ongoing for the past two years is now complete. They have brand-new staff quarters as well as several renovated facilities. The hospital was re-dedicated on October 12 with leaders, local church pastors, local community members, well-wishers, and former staff attending.

Healing and Hope Received

Dilip was from Dapur, a nearby village. Suffering from a cough for over a year, he had sought treatment elsewhere but saw no improvement. He heard about CCH and sought help there as his last hope. He had severe abdominal pain, a low pulse, and restlessness. Doctors operated on his abdomen, found evidence of TB, and anti-TB medication was administered. Dilip now believes in God, and on the day of his surgery, a full-day prayer meeting was held. Dilip recovered quickly and went home with renewed hope and trust, both in God and in the ministry of Chinchpada Christian Hospital.

Practical and Medical Needs Met

He just wanted to go to school. Fourteen-year-old Vihaan’s parents didn’t have the money to buy him a uniform, shoes, and school supplies, so he decided to work at a roadside sugarcane crushing machine over the summer. Then disaster struck. While pushing the sugarcane through the machine, Vihaan’s middle finger got caught between the rollers and was crushed. His friends and coworkers rushed him to Chinchpada Christian Hospital to see what could be done. The doctors relieved Vihaan’s pain and inserted a pin through the bones to help them to heal.

His father arrived and anxiously explained that he had no money to pay the medical bill, but the staff assured him they would continue to treat his son at no charge. Vihaan began crying upon discharge because he realized that he could no longer work at his job, and his hopes of going to school were dashed. The Medical Superintendent went to the boy’s village and spoke to a friend of his who owned a grocery store. Immediately the owner offered Vihaan a job at his store so that he could pay for his school supplies after all. This kind of care for one individual demonstrates the level of effort EHA staff are willing to go to in order to help others.

Funds Needed for Operating Expenses

Over the years, different EHA hospitals have struggled to make ends meet. When most of your patients live in abject poverty, it is difficult to bring in enough income from patient fees to operate a hospital and pay the staff. About a year ago, Chinchpada Christian Hospital in Maharashtra had to close due to financial difficulties.

EHA leadership carefully considered whether or not to continue to pour resources into this struggling location, and all indications came back that it was worth it. Residents in the district surrounding the hospital have few options for medical care. If the Chinchpada unit closed, the often under-staffed and poorly funded government facilities would be the only option. These clinics are few and far between and would be insufficient to address the healthcare needs for the surrounding area.

Recently, Drs. Deepak and Ashita Singh agreed to take on the hospital ministry and do their best to bring it back to life. Supporters in the UK invested in rehabbing the staff quarters and other hospital  buildings, but the equipment on hand is minimal. The only reason they have a monitor and a defibrillator is because the father of a friend of Ashita’s was closing his practice, so he gave those machines to her. They have no ventilator and so they have to manually “bag” patients who cannot breathe well on their own.

Drs. Deepak and Ashita both felt strongly that they needed to reduce patient fees despite the fact that they needed a regular supply of income from those fees to be viable. So they have to carefully weigh the quality of care vs. the cost because so many of their patients are below the poverty level. They are always short on supplies and can’t keep a sufficient inventory of various medicines because of the cost — but they grieve because they have lost patients because of it.

About Chinchpada Christian Hospital

Located in Maharashtra, Chinchpada Christian Hospital provides healthcare to the predominantly tribal population in the surrounding villages. Established in 1942, the hospital started out as a small clinic. Later it grew to a 15-bed hospital, and then was incorporated with EHA in 1974. Currently, it has 50 beds and attracts referred patients for surgeries and maternity services. The service priorities of the hospital include general medicine, pediatric care, orthopedic services, and obstetrics and gynecology. Serving the villages of Navapur Taluka as well as villages of the west part of Sakri Taluka, the hospital strives to serve the poor and marginalized regardless of caste or religion. They seek to provide both clinical services and spiritual ministry in the name of God, so as to make Him known in word and deed.

In order to develop a good rapport with the surrounding churches, local church leaders are occasionally involved in hospital meetings. Hospital staff hold heath awareness meetings with village pastors and leaders so that they become familiar with symptoms of common diseases and can encourage villagers to go to the hospital when needed. These local leaders also help to identify poor families so that their needs can be met by the hospital.

The hospital conducts outreach clinics in surrounding villages to care for villagers’ healthcare needs. They started research on sickle cell disease by mapping cases in Navapur Taluka.