Swaasthya Hospitals: Journey of 6 months
Across the vast, overlooked heartlands of rural Andhra Pradesh, where the edges of civilization blur into obscurity, Swaasthya Hospitals spent the latter half of 2024 affirming a simple truth: those who are unseen are no less important. From the bustling walkways of Madanapalle to the sequestered pathways of villages untouched by professional care, their work weaves modern medicine into the fabric of lives long denied it, proving that progress has to be brought in, step by deliberate step.
Walking for health
The story begins, fittingly, with walking—an act as old as humanity itself and now co-opted by fitness apps and urban wellness trends. But the Swaasthya Walkathon in July 2024 was different. This was not about individual metrics but collective healing. Several residents of Madanapalle joined hands with school and college students, medical personnel, and volunteers of The Satsang Foundation to reclaim walking as a tool for community solidarity and heart health. Alongside, a blood donation camp brought 200 volunteers, each offering what could be the ultimate gift – life for another.
Reaching the unreached
Swaasthya’s canvas stretched wider. By August, their mission reached Ankisettipalli’s dusty lanes. Here, the team offered 147 patients consultations that included 47 ECGs and free dental care for 45 children. Two critical cardiac cases were identified and sent to Narayana Heart Center in Kolar.
September sharpened focus. A camp in Matlavaripalle unearthed an unnerving truth. Of the 153 patients examined, 35% required follow-up treatment—a staggering number that speaks to years of deferred care. Meanwhile, cardiac camps in October revealed similar truths, as specialists like Dr. Durgaprasad Reddy identified 30 patients needing immediate care and flagged over 70 as high-risk.
Unveiling of Mother-Child Unit
In November, Swaasthya’s commitment to comprehensive healthcare deepened with the inauguration of the Saroj Bhatia Mother and Child Unit, a state-of-the-art maternity ward dedicated to nurturing mothers and newborns. This facility offers a comprehensive range of services, including antenatal care to support healthy pregnancies, physiotherapy sessions tailored for expectant mothers, and a fully equipped operation theatre designed to ensure safe and seamless deliveries, even in complex cases. The ward also houses an advanced ICU for mothers and babies needing intensive care and a dedicated recovery space for postnatal support. In its first months, the unit successfully performed six caesarean deliveries, safeguarding the health of mothers and infants alike.
Inauguration of Intensive Care Unit
And then came December, with the opening of a state-of-the-art ICU. Here was a facility equipped with ventilators, defibrillators, and advanced monitors. Firstsource, CPR Group, and Spherule Foundation stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Swaasthya, providing financial support to this vital facility.
By the end of 2024, Swaasthya Hospitals has quietly but steadily built a network of care across rural Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere, where healthcare had often been an afterthought. Through initiatives ranging from walkathons to medical camps, their focus has remained on seeking out communities where healthcare is scarce, and bringing them into the fold of accessible, quality medical care.
