Jain Center Los Angeles CA 1998 07 10th Anniversary of Jain Bhavan

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 115

Medical Camp - Bidada, India
Shree Navin Gangar
One must see in person to believe the dedication and hard work of the volunteers of the Bidada Medical Camp. We consider ourselves fortunate to be associated with such a noble and humanitarian work. The Bidada hospital is entering its 25" year of medical services to the sick and needy people in the district of Kutchh (Gujarat), Rajasthan, and other parts of the country. The hospital started with the eye and dental camps. It is located about 800 miles northwest of Mumbai. Bidada, though a village of approximately 5000 people, provides one of the best medical facilities in entire Kutchh.
The hospital was built in 1985 with 40 beds taking care of eye, dental, general check up, pathology facility, x-ray facility and two surgery units. Bidada hospital has been treating and examining patients from 18 different medical faculties. Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) got involved with this humanitarian project eight years ago.
A major medical camp is organized during the month of January each year at which approximately 13,000 patients are examined. Patients needing major surgeries are referred to hospitals in Mumbai. Several more special surgical camps are organized by the hospital during the year. In the last 24 years, 1.3 million patients have been examined and 34,000 patients have been operated at Bidada hospital. Approximately 2,955 patients have been called to Mumbai for major operations.
Members of Jain Center of Southern California have supported the activities of the Bidada Trust since 1991. Many members have visited the facilities as well as personally participated with their professional medical services at these camps. The Trust congratulates the Jain Center on its 10" anniversary.
We herewith give thanks to the Jain Center of Southern California for helping the Trust in every way possible and we hope the Jain Center of Southern California will continue to support the Trust's medical activities in the future.
I will be talking about Jainism because I am Jain and if you are not, I hope, you will be Jain in
couple of weeks or months. - Neel Shah (10)
Jain Education Intemational