Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal is one of the branch centers of the RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, Belur Math, West Bengal – which has 110 centres in India and 37 centres abroad. The sevashrama was first started in 1901 at the command of Swami Vivekananda (Swamiji) by his two disciples Swami Kalyananandaji and Nischayanandaji to carry out medical service in this remotest part of India. During his visit, Swamiji observed to his utter dismay and agony that ailing people were eventually dying for want of medical aid which was not available in around 100 Kms area of Haridwar!
This Sevashrama has slowly grown into a reasonably big hospital with 150 beds and has been engaged in a plethora of medical services offered to the poor and invalids of this nascent State of Uttaranchal. People of urban slums, remote and resources depleted villages, without distinction of caste, creed, color or nationality are treated in the sevashram. In addition, other category of patients are tourists from India and abroad who come here for visiting this tallest range of mountains, pilgrimage shrines like Kedarnath and Badrinath, trekking, having a dip in the Ganges during Arth-Kumbh and Purna-Kumbh etc. A majority of the above tourists fall sick due to various reasons – sudden change of climatic condition, physical exertion the tour demands like climbing or trekking the mountains etc. These sick tourists are brought to this hospital for treatment.
Central theme of this Centre
- Treatment is provided free of cost to most of the poor patients including medicines
- Under nutrition being the base of many a disease, wholesome food (part of it is produced in mission's fields) is given to indoor patients along with milk supplied from mission's dairy
- Mission's mobile wing takes the treatment to the doorsteps of those who live in interior villages and can not afford to come to hospital
- Diagnosis being indispensable before starting treatment, mission's lab provides diagnostic service at rock-bottom prices and for too poor, yes, it is also free