Welcome to Vinayaka Missions Medical College & Hospital

Once settled in our plush accommodations, the team boarded vans to be taken to the hospital for a tour and to figure out how we would set-up our pre-operative clinic for the next day. The hospital is only about a ten minute drive from the hotel.

What I was told about this hospital is that it’s a local teaching hospital. A number of courses are held throughout each day on a variety of medical topics for aspiring doctors and nurses. As a hospital, they admit patients which are subjects for them to practice on during residency. It has an emergency department, several wards, and specialty areas as well as a number of other features I have not seen in a hospital.

Rather than wax poetic about things I don’t really understand, I’ll share pictures and captions/commentary of a few of the more curious features so you can get a flavor for where we’re working. Suffice it to say that the standards are much different here. That said, our surgeons were very happy with the larger operating rooms and the fact that they are air conditioned.

The highlight of this visit came after the tour when we were led to another building, which turned out to be the auditorium. Outside, faculty and students lined both sides of the sidewalk leading up to the entrance. The hospital administrator did an official welcome to our medical director, Frank, and mission director, Tom, as we entered – kind of like the opening ceremonies of the Olympics declaring the mission started. Before passing through the door each of us received a decorative garland around our necks and an orange-colored bindi, which I was later told was like a royal welcome—very special.

Then came a formal ceremony with many speakers, music and traditional dancing. I’ve discovered that Indians really enjoy and appreciate formality and ceremony. It’s their way of honoring their guests and showing appreciation and respect. The lively presentation was colorful and interesting, and although exhausted beyond words I managed to stay away so I didn’t miss anything. But I did doze off in the van on the way back from the hospital and enjoyed a full night’s rest, which was so important with the clinic tomorrow.

The work is about to start.

A view of the hospital from a distance. Looks state-of-the-art from here.

Frank (medical director) and Tom (mission director) receive the official
welcome from the hospital adminstrator as a ceremonial opening of their
facilities to our team.
 

Inside the hospital we see a sign that resonates with several of us: "Ask not what the country has done for you but what
you have done for the country."

Getting ready to sit down for the ceremony, I pause with my garland in front
of the welcome banner.

A ceremonial totem is lit on all sides as Tom and Frank stand by (on left).

Dancing and music fill the stage in a loud and colorful display. The auditorium
behind us is packed with students and other people cheering on the
entertainment.

The garbage cans around the hospital have animals like this
rabbit holding them with the words "use me." I thought
it was kind of funny. This guy saw me about to take the
picture and wanted to be in it.

In case of fire, it's important to have some form of an extinguisher. Here you
see buckets of sand (top) and water (bottom).