Nov 18, 2009
Health Sciences Campus, Kochi

Ever year, crores of pilgrims make the scared journey up the Western Ghats in Kerala to pray at the Sabarimala shrine atop the hills. For several years now, Amrita has run a 25-bed hospital in Pampa at the foothills of the Ghats during the annual pilgrimage season, offering its services completely free to pilgrims.
 

This year the hospital resumed its functioning on Sunday, November 15. The Honourable Minister for Devaswom, Shri. Kadannappally Ramachandran was present on the occasion. “It is the universal love, compassion and service provided by Amma’s organization that has been flowing at Pampa,” he emphasized.
 

Swami Jnanamritananda Puri from the MA Math was also present. Amma was keen to provide emergency medical services to the Sabarimala pilgrims, even though it meant a lot of expenditure of money and effort, Swamiji reiterated.
 

Every year the MA Math spends over Rs. 25 lakhs for the free services provided during this annual pilgrimage season. The hospital makes available all essential services such as ICU, lab testing and X-ray. In addition, there are two fully-equipped ambulances and a telemedicine link with AIMS.
 

The hospital will now be completely functional for about two months, until the current pilgrimage season ends in mid-January 2010. At all times, there will be a team of 5-6 doctors, including a Cardiologist and an Orthopedican. Nursing staff, technicians, pharmacists, security staff will make up the rest of the 30-member team.
 

The facility is housed in a building provided by Travancore Devaswom Board at Pampa.
 

The occasion also saw Amrita extend its outreach activities in the region through green activities.
 

Swami Jnanamritananda Puri, the coordinator of the MA Math’s Green Friends program joined the Forest Minister Sri. Binoy Viswam, at the inauguration of the Plant-a-Tree campaign. A joint initiative of the Forest and Wild Life Department of Kerala and the MA Math, the implementation of this program is expected to help preserve the purity and sanctity of the temple forests.