Saturday was a milestone for the doctors and nurses of St. Isabel’s Hospital in the institution’s 65-year-old run.

The hospital, which is run by the Franciscan Sisters, received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health Care Providers (NABH).

N. Ram, chairman, Kasturi & Sons Limited, who handed over the certificate to Sister Magdeline Fernandes, president of St. Isabel Hospital Society and the provincial superior, wished that the hospital would be able to continue its dedicated service to society.

He recalled how the hospital had taken care of M.S. Subbulakshmi at a very difficult stage. He said he was happy to note the hospital had been able to modernise and was also a teaching institution.

It took three years for the hospital to follow and implement the 625 stringent objective elements stipulated by NABH.

Though the Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception arrived at Goa in 1886, they came to Madras only in 1942 and the hospital was set up in March 1949. Initially, St. Isabel’s Hospital was a maternity home with a few beds. It has now grown into a 300-bed facility with 31 clinical departments.

Sister Celine Philip, administrator and president of St. Isabel Hospital Society, Sister Danis Mary, assistant provincial, Sister Betty D’Souza, vice-president of the hospital, Sister Philomina Joseph, medical superintendent, George Thomas, senior consultant and head of emergency medicine, and K. Ravi, ophthalmologist, were present on the occasion.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – October 12th, 2014