Secretary: Fr Vincent Pereira Gulbarga.

Joint Secretary: Sr Dr Sumi Sarkar.

Core Group: Br. Jayaprakash SHJ Jewargi, Dr Kiran George Gulbarga, Sr Shanthi Mary SJT Vijayapura. Dr Koming Sheih Gulbarga, Sr Patsy D’souza SCCG Gulbarga. Sr Sandra B.S Chittapur.

Introduction

Jesus is the model for the healing ministry in the Church. And therefore the healing ministry is an essential part of the mission of the Church. The words of Jesus Christ have been the inspiration for Catholic Health Care: “I was sick and you cared for me” (Mt 25:36). From the early church Christians have tried to take care of the sick. The councils of Carthage (309) and Tours (567) stressed the importance of the care of the sick. St. Basil (370) had established “Basiliades” to care for the sick. And thus ministering the sick became one of the priorities.

Today the Catholic Church in India, under the network of CHAI (Catholic Health Association of India, which began in 1943 under the leadership of Sr. Mary Glowery) has more than 3500 health care institutions serving the sick people with care and support. The healing ministry in the Church speaks volumes about Christian dedication and commitment to serve the poor sick people. It is also worth noting that 85% of the healthcare facilities of the Church in India are in the rural areas caring for the marginalized is accomplished in letter and in spirit. The Church in India has responded generously and compassionately, making Christ present for others through her healing ministry.

The diocese of Gulbarga has made a small beginning with health care apostolate. It has four small hospital establishments(30bed hospitals) and a few clinics. Today we are challenged by various internal and external factors including Covid 19. Internally we struggle with inadequate financial, material and human resource to run our facilities effectively and address the health care needs of the marginalized and the poor. Yet we need to emerge as prophetic witnesses in this challenging world of health today.

Therefore, Commission of Health has the role of animating, networking, coordinating and advocating the healing mission of the Church in Karnataka ensuring the Gospel values to guide health care ministry through the implementation of the Health policy of the Catholic Church in India and the health care policy of the Government to witness the healing mission of Jesus to evangelize the broken world. We will strive collectively and prophetically to respond to the specific demands of the health care needs of the people according to the example of Jesus the healer.

VISION: All people enjoy good health, dignity and sanctity of life.

MISSION: Ensuring holistic health for all through preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative care esp for the poor and the marginalized.

GOAL: All the poor and needy have access to good and affordable health care facilities in our health care institutions.

Objective 1: The efficiency of the health care by the hospitals run by the Catholics is improved and about 40000 people will receive quality health care as out-patients, in-patients and day-care basis by 2024.

Indicators

1. People with ailments receive humanized, affordable, rational and quality health care.
2. Adequate health personnel work in our hospitals
3. Digitalization in the most important departments
4. Standard protocol followed in the treatment and care of the patient
5. Good documentation system available
6. Health care centers enthusiastically implement the policies and programs of the Govt./CHAI/CHAKA and the Health Commission.
7. Health care center has become collaborators in the Government Health programs and planning.
8. Poor people regularly receive health benefits from the schemes/programs/Insurance of Govt. and likeminded organizations.

Strategies

1. Upgradation of structure and systems
2. Regular enhancement of skills by trainings of the staff
3. Regular staff meetings, review meetings and Board meetings.
4. Transparency, documentation and regular reporting
5. Affordable health care facilities to Outpatient, Inpatient and Day care to the sick and the suffering people
6. Our hospitals will be fully sanitized, protected and free from Covid 19 infection.
7. Collaborating with government health department and likeminded NGOs for health programs and projects
8. All our health centers affiliate themselves to the CHAI/CHAKA network and locally become the voice of the Church in healing ministry
9. Health centers implement at least one Government Health Program/Scheme for the poor people.
10. Regular Active participation in the meetings of Govt. Health Dept., CHAI/CHAKA, Health Commission and likeminded NGOs by the heads of the health care institutions.

Objective 2: Persons affected by HIV/AIDS, TB, Leprosy and the differently abled receive care and are adequately rehabilitated by 2024.

Indicators

1. Reduced abandoned cases for these ailments
2. Reduced cases of above communicable and non-communicable diseases
3. Success stories of rehabilitated persons
4. Rehabilitation centers are functioning
5. Implementation of institutional based and community based health projects and programs with the help of funding agencies, Government health department and philanthropists
6. Case wise documentation will be done.
7. Changed attitude of the family and the society towards the infected and affected members

Strategies

1. Mapping of the rehabilitation centers in the Diocese
2. Diocese has care and support centers and definite rehabilitation plan
3. Collaboration with likeminded NGOs and GOs for programs and projects
4. Publicity of the rehabilitation centers in the Diocese for referrals.
5. Availability of Success stories of cured and rehabilitated persons.

Objective 3: At least 75% Catholics have registered under AyushmanBharath Scheme and are availing the benefits by 2024

Indicators

1. Increase in the number of registrations done for AB/ARK
2. Increased number of Catholics availed the health schemes and Insurance.

Strategies

1. Every Catholic will obtain the AB/ARK health card and will use it.
2. Registration and handholding support to claim and to receive the schemes.
3. Documentation of the claim done by the Catholics

Objective 4: Collaborating with DSS at least 300 Children below 3 years receive proper nutrition and are adequately treated with medical care by 2024.

Indicators

1. Reduced number of children with malnutrition
2. Increasing number of children given medical care in the Health centers

Strategies

1. Identifying the children with malnutrition with the help of Anganwadi/ Asha workers and social workers.
2. Linking the families to the existing support system for nutrition supplement
3. Definite program/project to eradicate malnutrition among the children

Objective 5: 90% Catholics have the knowledge of preventive health care regarding Covid19 and other illnesses by the end of 2022

Indicators

1. Reduced cases of health issues
2. Catholics follow preventive measures to avoid sickness
3. Every Catholic has the knowledge of Health issues and able to express it.

Strategies

1. Listing out the available resource persons to give awareness in the parish and Diocese
2. Organizing the awareness programs at the Parish level/Zonal level.

Objective 6: At least one trained counselor (who have undergone a course of 15 days) is available at every unit of health care in the Diocese by 2024

Indicators

1. Mental illness and psychiatric issues are addressed in our health care units.
2. Availability of Counsellors

Strategies

1. Identify and train persons for counselling
2. A counsellor is available as and when needed in the health care centres.
3. Statistics available with counsellor for the counselling done.

Objective 7: Collaborating with educational commission all the children in our institutions undergo health check up and also get regular instructions on health and hygiene.

Objective 8: The commission will facilitate networking all the diocesan health care units.