Pakistan’s neglected missionary hospital may regain lost glory

Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar’s direction to the Punjab government for restoration of one of the oldest missionary hospitals of Lahore, United Christian Hospital (UCH) (Established: 1948) has revived the hopes of the Christian community that the hospital would soon regain its lost glory.

The CJP, while hearing a suo Motu motion, directed the Punjab Chief Secretary Dr Amjad Saqib here on Monday to release funds for the hospital which is in a shambles.

Earlier on Saturday, the CJP had visited the hospital and taken a round of its various wards and sections including the medical ward, operation theatres, emergency section and reviewed treatment facilities being provided to the patients.

Most of the departments of the hospital are non-functional due to lack of funds and absence of doctors.

During the visit, the Chief Justice termed the condition of the hospital pathetic, as facilities were woefully inadequate and patients were suffering due to lack of medicines, and lack of proper treatment.

Later, he chaired a meeting of the UCH management which apprised him of problems being faced by the hospital.

A brief history of UCH

Lahore’s first state-of-the-art hospital, UCH was first established in the premises of Forman Christian College (FC College) to provide medical facilities to the students, faculty and staff of the college.

In early 1960s it was shifted to Gulberge III. There was a time when people could see the cross that used to be illuminated in neon on Main Boulevard, Gulberg.

It was majestic and grand at that time, with American nurses and doctors and was a great training hospital for the Christian community.

According to a former resident of Lahore, Edgar Banta Ram who is now living in California, USA, United Christian Hospital used to be a place for ‘compassionate healing for The glory of God’.

It was established in 1948 by the missionaries living in Lahore in the hostels of the Forman Christian College (FC College). Later, it moved premises to Gulberg III in 1965.

The golden era of the hospital was till 1980, The first open heart surgery in Pakistan was done here by a Canadian American Surgeon Donald E. Bowes in 1968.

At that time the hospital, which had a well-equipped laboratory, provided training to nurses and its X-ray technicians worked/are working all around the world, particularly in the Middle East.

However, after it fell on bad times due to lack of funds, the hospital has become almost non-functional — except for a couple of departments — due to lack of good doctors who are needed to bring in patients.

Banta Ram said the CJP had done a great service to the residents of Lahore, particularly Christians by taking up restoration of UCH that once provided the best health care facilities.

Ozma Siddiqui a graduate of Kinnaird College University and a teacher by profession said during her intermediate years in the early 80s, she had taken up nursing as a subject and her group was required to do 20 hours as part of the practicum at the hospital.

“As a young person I was very impressed with the level of cleanliness and quality of equipment. Had I taken up nursing as my vocation, I would have had a very different story to tell, but nonetheless [it would have been] as rewarding or as noble as the teaching profession I took to later,” she said.

She termed the CJP’s intervention quite timely and hoped it would help revive the lost glory and grandeur of UCH.