HOW WE WORK
HOW WE WORK
SHREE VIDYAGURU FOUNDATION
offers free, high quality, modern healthcare services to the rural community of Savarkundla in Gujarat. GMSP supported Shree Vidhyaguru Foundation by funding treatments, medicines and staff costs to keep the running of the hospital free at the point of use for all who need it.
1,000
patients seen
every day
10
babies delivered every day
CHALLENGE
Savarkundla is a small rural area in Gujarat, home to around 80,000 people, many of whom live in poverty and cannot afford basic healthcare. Once a centre of production of weighing scales, its residents now rely mainly on farming for their subsistence. But the area suffers from severe droughts, which places a further burden on farmers.
Existing healthcare providers are seen by residents as exploitative, charging fees that are far above the means of most residents. Many are forced to forego treatment, unable to pay for medication. Maternity services are found to be over performing caesarean sections in order to charge more money. Whatever affordable medical services are available are of the most basic level.
ACTION
Shree Vidhyaguru Foundation was set up by a group of people from Savarkundla and nearby towns who wanted to give back to their community by helping those less fortunate.
The foundation built a hospital that offers services that are completely free of charge. The hospital has a fully functioning surgical ward and provides patients with dialysis, physiotherapy, pathology, general surgery, gynaecology and dentistry. It also offers holistic care in the form of yoga, Ayurveda, naturopathy and homeopathy.
The hospital is now expanding to include an orthopaedic department as well as a cancer research centre.