Who is my neighbour?
13.09.2010
When the floods in Pakistan occurred I was in Australia celebrating my 40th ordination anniversary [on July 4]. I am the chairman of the Administrative Council of St Elizabeth Hospital in Hyderabad. When the flooding began, I phoned Mr James Francis who is administrator of the hospital every twelve hours speaking directly to him and had conference calls with the medical superintendents of the hospital.
Our first issue was to save the hospital and its equipment. Although the Indus River was at record flood level at Hyderabad in southeast Pakistan, the city was saved from flooding. Just five years ago we had a “minor” flood [at least minor in comparison to what is now occurring] which left 21/2 feet of water through the ground flood of the hospital for 10 days and the damage was significant. We learnt a lot from that but the size of this flood coming down from the north is unprecedented.
St Elizabeth Hospital has been working fulltime to help thousands of impoverished agricultural labourers and their families move away from the river to safety. 3,000 are now living in the open on the main highway and thousands more managed to reach the ridge of barren hills on the other side of the Indus, south of Hyderabad. They were able to carry just a little of the few possessions they had. Providing them with food, water and medical care are priorities.
Many of these people are caste Hindus who come at the tail end of official relief programs. We provide organized medical relief work to everyone and anyone who needs it.
Not only is this happening at the hospital, but we have also set up three mobile teams using the hospital ambulance and two other vehicles to get out to people displaced by the flood.
The three teams mean that there are two teams always on duty, with the third one resting. The teams consist of Christian, Muslim and Hindu hospital staff members - doctors, nurses, midwives, and others. They are working together with one heart; no one talks about time off or overtime pay. The vehicles are loaded with medical supplies, medicines, vaccines and anything else that is useful.
The teams are looking after the victims of the flood whether they are Muslim, Christian or Hindu. The hospital’s spirit of compassion has always been motivated by the great question in the parable of the Good Samaritan: “And who is my neighbour?”
Great care is being given to pregnant women - delivery cases being brought back to the hospital in the ambulances and similarly for urgent surgical cases.
Of course people cannot pay for this, so it is free. We don’t have surplus money at St Elizabeth Hospital, but I told the administrator to borrow and buy everything and whatever is needed. I have told him to trust in God and not look at the bank account. We will worry about that later.
Teams of young Catholic male nurses from the hospital have volunteered to stay out with the displaced people. They give medical care and let the people know that they are not forgotten. The immediate need is basic care. Much more will be needed as the danger of further flooding passes, the water recedes, and people return home to nothing.
I returned to Hyderabad in the first week of September, as I was in London for two weeks doing fund raising arranged last year for the Catholic Centre of Academic Excellence* and the Catholic Youth Development Centre*, both in Hyderabad. It is very encouraging to know how wide the hearts are of so many people who support us in Columban mission.
Fr Robert McCulloch is Chairman of the Board of trustees of St Elizabeth Hospital in Hyderabad.
