Global Hospital
J. Watumull Global Hospital and Research Centre is a hospital, albeit with a difference. The brain child of an industrialist, a surgeon and a spiritual leader, Global Hospital, as it is popularly called, is a centre for holistic healthcare. It combines the best that modern medicine has to offer with complementary medicine systems like Ayurveda, homeopathy, magnet therapy, yoga and so on.
How did Global Hospital come into existence ?
In 1989, eminent head and neck cancer surgeon from Mumbai, Dr Ashok Mehta visited Mount Abu in Rajasthan and had the inspiration to set up a model hosptial in this remote area. The idea was taken up by , Khuba Watumull and Gulab Watumull of Mumbai and Hawaii (U.S.A.) respectively, and named J Watumull Global Hospital & Research Centre, in memory of their late father.
Serving the community
Our founder trustees envisaged that establishing a multi-disciplinary secondary care hospital at Mount Abu would help bridge a yawning gap in health services in district Sirohi, Rajasthan. At the time, four hospitals with a combined bed strength of 457 served the district’s roughly 700,000 strong population. It therefore comes as no surprise that besides offering medical services through out-patient clinics and hospitalisation, the hospital has since then, expanded its operations to focus on community outreach programmes, medical research, vocational education in paramedical streams and the promotion of health awareness.
Background
Before Global Hospital, as it is popularly known, was commissioned in 1991, four hospitals with a combined bed strength of barely 457 served the district’s population of 700,000. Super-specialists like a cardiologist, diabetologist, ophthalmologist, ENT consultant, surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon were unheard of.
Services
Global Hospital stands out for offering complementary medicine systems parallel to allopathic specialities. Complementary approaches include acupressure, ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), homeopathy, magnet therapy and yoga therapy.
Impact
Global Hospital’s presence has made a huge difference to the local community. On an average, it treats 300 outpatients daily and 300 inpatients monthly. About half of the admitted patients receive free treatment.
Outreach
Over 2000 children benefit from a nutritional support programme running in 16 schools selected from among those in these villages. A local mother is employed to cook meals for the pupils. Over the years, serving children a healthy meal has brought marked improvements in their general wellbeing and school attendance.
Expansion & Education
Global Hospital has opened a much-needed trauma centre and eye hospital in Abu Road, at the base of Mt Abu. Starting with a small nursing assistant training centre in 1995, which went on to train many local youth who are now employed in the hospital, Global Hospital’s educational initiatives have expanded to include a nursing diploma course, a graduate degree programme in nursing, a diploma in ophthalmic techniques course, and post-graduate training for doctors in family medicine and ophthalmology.
Research
Patients enrolled for the joint study showed a marked improvement in their cholesterol levels, immune function as well as exercise tolerance, following lifestyle changes which included a lacto-vegetarian diet, daily exercise and regular meditation to reduce stress.