My wife, Mercy, and I are originally from Kerala. We grew up in Tamil Nadu, trained in Community Health and Maternity Nursing at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, and then spent over 30 years, from 1993 to 2024, living and working at the Christian Hospital, Bissam Cuttack (CHB), in Rayagada district of Odisha. We retired and withdrew in June 2024. We now look back on those three decades to ask ourselves — What are the lessons learnt on primary healthcare?
For 29 years, I led the Mitra community health team of CHB, working with the people of 54 predominantly tribal villages. Over the years, I also served in the administration of the hospital — in human resources, finance, construction, maintenance. They are all part of the game, from leading board meetings to clearing blocked drains in heavy rains. I have had the opportunity to see life from multiple angles. Let me share some stories from the frontlines and some lessons and insights.