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Western world services dollars benefit hospital development.
Several years ago, the U.S Western Territory pledged $60,000 to the Indian Western Territory for work on the general ward of the Evangeline Booth Hospital in Ahmednagar. This project is now complete, and included renovations to the operating theatre, the post-operative care unit and the nursery, as well as repairs to the building itself.
Residents view the hospital as the best in the area, and it has served the community and the surrounding villages for over 70 years. People have faith that they will receive proper treatment and perhaps a cure in this hospital. Some travel about 150 kilometers (up to 200-300 for HIV patients) to seek care here.
The Salvation Army acquired the current Evangeline Booth Hospital in 1936 as a general hospital. Before then it existed as a women’s and children’s hospital, established in 1904. Many of the buildings are over 100 years old.
Western officers Majors Ted and Rosalyn (Rozs) Mahr served in India for over 27 years, until their retirement in 2007. Major Ros Mahr was the hospital administrator. When the development project began, she noted: “The Evangeline Booth Hospital has a good reputation in town.” It runs an active surgical unit that provides a variety of operations. When the project began, however, it had only one major and one minor theatre—the surgeons had difficulty scheduling operations. Space for the surgical unit was limited in the 100-year-old building. By moving the surgical services to the second floor of the new building, the hospital can provide a proper surgical/post-operative recovery unit.
The completion of this project has renewed the hope of those how come to the Evangeline Booth Hospital for medical care. The sick will benefit from increased space and more advanced equipment and the staff is pleased that they now have enough room to serve those needing medical attention.
