Poor and Marginalised, the Primary Target Of Catholic Medical Services: Cardinal Toppo

(March 24, 2009) “The Catholic Church in India, with its network of 5525 healthcare facilities across the country, is mainly concerned with bringing health care facilities to the poor and marginalized sections of society, said Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi. He was inaugurating a consultation on the proposed medical college at Social Development Centre, Ranchi, March 21-22. The Catholic Church, he noted, is the single largest healthcare provider in the private sector in the country, and it is second only to the Government of India in promoting health and providing care. The various health care services in the Church are forging greater partnership and networking among themselves and with like-minded groups”, said Cardinal Toppo. The CBCI is administering one medical college in Bangalore an has been authorised to start another in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on the model of St John’s College, particularly to serve the poor and the marginalised. “There is a great expectation and enthusiasm among the people about this much needed healthcare initiative of the Church in the tribal heartland. The secret of success of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, which is managed by CBCI, is the commitment and shared responsibility of the Church in India. Something similar should happen also to this humanitarian endeavor in Ranchi, that will benefit millions of poor people, especially the tribals,” said Fr. Alex Vadakumthala, the project director of CBCI Society for Medical Education, North India. The consultation, coordinated by the CBCI Society for Medical Education, North India, was attended by fifty experts from various walks of life.