India: Father’s life saved in new Intensive Care Unit

25-year-old Lakhan’s two young children would have lost their father without treatment at the new Intensive Care Unit at Chinchpada Christian Hospital.

Lakhan had been having painful spasms throughout his entire body for four days. These spasms would lock his body into a rigid state, making it hard for him to breathe and putting his life in danger. When he was brought into Chinchpada Christian Hospital (CCH), he was quickly diagnosed with tetanus.

Part of what makes Lakhan’s story so sad is that tetanus is easily preventable, and the tetanus shot is available for pennies. But Lakhan comes from a tribal background with limited access to education, and he had no idea that a tetanus shot was necessary or available.

Tetanus management needs critical care with advanced facilities for mechanical ventilation, endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy. “This would often mean a death sentence to someone like Lakhan in this remote unreached area, where critical care facilities are next to nil,” says consultant physician Dr Jibi John.

But thanks to the support of people like you, Lakhan was able to receive the highest standard of care in the new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – he did not have to wait for a bed or a ventilator to become available, as he may have had to in the old ICU, and was able to be treated immediately.

A young man, Lakhan, is wearing a hospital gown and sitting on a hospital bed. He has a tube in his nose. He is taking a bite of food. — Lakhan takes a bite of food as he begins to recover.

He was in the ICU for a month. “Those days were so unpredictable and fraught with risks of impending death,” Dr Jibi John says.

Thankfully, Lakhan was able to make a full recovery, and go home to his wife and two young children. “If not for the support that was raised for his treatment and medicines, he would never have been able to have the care he needed,” says Dr Jibi John.

Lakhan was one of the first patients to be treated in the new 14-bed ICU. The new ICU and the new 15-bed General Ward were opened in December 2024, largely funded by the gifts of MAI supporters. Thank you so much to everyone who gave so generously to this project.

A group of people stand in a garden in India. Many of them are medics wearing blue scrubs. In the centre is a young man, Lakhan, wearing a green shirt. He stands next to Dr Jibi John who wears a white shirt. He also stands next to his wife who is wearing a sari, and holding a small boy, one of their children. — Lakhan (centre wearing green) surrounded by the team from CCH who saved his life. He stands next to his wife and one of their children, and Dr Jibi John.

Now that the ICU and General Ward are open and treating patients, our next challenge is to help our friends at CCH to continue providing affordable services for those who need care. Most CCH patients earn less than £2 a day. Five days in a government hospital ICU would cost £300, and in a private hospital it would cost £1,500 or more – costs that would be impossible to cover for many.

But by working to keep costs low, a five day stay in the CCH ICU costs £150. CCH then subsidises this so that patients only have to pay £50.

This is why continued regular support is so vital. If you haven’t already, would you consider giving a regular gift to help make sure treatments continue to be affordable for patients like Lakhan?

Every monthly gift of £40 could subsidise the cost of a patient’s treatment in the ICU for two days.

Dr Jibi expresses it so well when he says, “Thank you for your friendship and support on the journey through your generous giving. As we witness God’s wonderful works, our hearts are full.”

Donate now to provide affordable health care for patients like Lakhan

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