St Paul's Lutheran Church, Ernakulam is actively involved in  Hospital Ministry which aims at providing health awareness & care in hospitals, slums, colonies and islands without medical amenities. Sick visits, counselling, prayer and fellowship are emphasized.

Medical camps are arranged with the assistants of the District Medical Officer and the Superintendent of General Hospital, Ernakulam. Before submitting the requests the consents from the doctors, nurses are taken. Rotary Club members and other well wishers  provide their vehicle for the purpose. In the medical camps leprosy patients are detected and treated keeping their identity confidential

.           Homeo  medical camps are conducted with the help of the Association of Homeo Medical staff of Kochi Corporation.  

Arrangements are made to avail medicine by presenting the visiting cards of the pastor and medicine prescription of the doctor from two medical stores. Opticals are also provided in the same line.  

             In the period 1986 December to 1991 March medicines were purchased and supplied to deserved patients through the staff nurses of the Isolation ward of the General Hospital, Ernakulam and issued to the poor patients.

             Since 1991 April a new arrangement has been made for the supply of essential medicines to the poor patients. By presenting the visiting cards of the pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ernakulam and medicine prescription of the doctor, poor patients can get medicines from Ollippilli Medicals and Oriental Pharmacy Ernakulam. The bills are actually paid by sponsors found out by the pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ernakulam. M.G.M. Opticals Ernakulam is also providing optical services in the same line.

Patients from the slum are taken to the Government Hospital by transport bus for proper treatment. Pregnant women are also taken to the Govt. Hospital for antenatal clinic. The detected leprosy patients are confidently taken to the government hospital. The patients who do not go to hospital loosing their jobs are given their one-day wage through sponsoring.

Awareness classes are conducted each month on various topics such as immunization, diarrhea, mother and child care., leprosy, AIDS & HIV, alcoholism ,drug addiction, personal hygiene etc

            Each month classes on various topics like nurturing of children, breast-feeding, cooking etc are conducted with demonstration for the women with the help of the experts of each topic.

      The love of the Babe of Bethlehem reaches to the patients in the Government General Hospital, Ernakulam with an Agenda for the Programme through providing cakes, singing Christmas Carol, visiting the patients, distributing tracts, Counselling and praying .

The members of St. Paul’s Lutheran church have been visiting the Government General Hospital, Ernakulam and the cells in the hospital every Thursday. Counselling is being done with the patients and their by standers. Arrangements with doctors and medical stores are made to supply medicines to those who are unable to buy them.

Besides the regular visits on every Thursday the members visit the in-patients in the Government General Hospital, Ernakulam. The well wishers help to purchase medicine for the poor patients. The members are concentrating on isolation ward where the destitute patients and the patients having no relatives and nobody to look after are admitted. In the cells criminal patients and mental patients are put. In these wards Counselling, sing  songs, reading Bible, giving message and praying are continued. Some well wishers help by issuing old clothes and food for these patients. The patients and their relatives are invited for the worship services. Easter programmes are also performed in the Hospital.

Patients are taken to the Government Hospital by transport bus for proper treatment. Available free medicines are collected and distributed, But we  are having a hard time in making the both ends meet, Special attention is given to make them continue the treatment. Pregnant women are also taken to the Govt. Hospital for antenatal clinic.

Immunization awareness and camps are arranged at Vathuruthy Slum since 1990 with the help of the Health Department of Kochi Corporation, Kerala Health Service, UNICEF and Indian Medical Association, Ernakulam.  Approaching the Rotary Club the tea and lunch for the medical staff are arranged.

           Video shows on six killer disease( Diphtheria, Peruses, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Polio, Measles) are shown and prizes are awarded to the winners of the test based on the video. St Paul's Lutheran Church Ernakulam with the help of  the Health Department of Kochi Corporation, assisted by the office of the District Medical Officer and the General Hospital, has been immunizing the community since 1991

Eye camps and awareness camps are conducted at slums and colonies with the help of  Kerala Health Service and Lions Club .The staff from Government General Hospital conducts the awareness programme and the eye camps.  Twice the Lions Club supplied Opticals for the cataract persons and provided the tea and lunch for the medical staff. The patients with eye problems are taken to the Government General Hospital by transport buses due to lack of availability of vehicle.

Awareness and medical camps of Ayurveda are conducting with the help of Indian Systems of Medicine Department, Ernakulam. Medicines are supplied by Nagarjuna Herbal Concentrates at Thodupuzha, New Udaya Pharmacy at Kadavanthra and Rose Pharma at Ernakulam.

For more details regarding this ministry please contact : missiondirector@lkmission.org