Janet George

TIRUVALLA MEDICAL MISSION HOSPITAL

Tiruvalla Medical Mission began as a dream in the heart of Dewan Bahadur Dr. V. Varghese. As an ardent Christian, he read and studied closely the works of early missionaries. The life that most impressed him was that of George Mueller, a prayer warrior and a leader of the orphanage movement in England. Drawing a page from Muellers life, the Dewan dedicated his life, resources and skills for the betterment of society. The doctor's passionate dream had then become a fervent desire. Therefore, when Dr Verghese retired from the royal service, he immediately began to give shape and structure to his vision. And by 1935, he established a hospital on a small wooded hillock near the Tiruvalla railway station, Kerala, India. The same is the present site occupied by the main hospital of Tiruvalla Medical Mission (TMM) comprising a small hospital, with consulting rooms, dispensary, dressing room and a small theatre. Along with laying the foundation for the hospital, he also laid the principles for service and administration all decisions had to be in accordance with ethical and Christian principles. Thus, TMM began as a small step of faith for Dewan Bahadur, but a giant leap for the people of Central Travancore. The people of Tiruvalla and central Travancore nicknamed the establishment as Sahibs Hospital (Saayippinte Aasupathri in Malayalam). In those days hospitals were few and far between and nursing study courses unheard of in the State of Travancore or in Malabar. However in the State of Cochin, a three year course in nursing was in existence from 1928. But midwifery training for nurses was not compulsory. In CMC hospital, Vellore a Nursing Diploma course was started far back in 1909. So several educated girls from Travancore, interested in nursing study, found their way to Vellore. TMM offers medical and other services in almost every branch of human health requirement.