By Matters India Reporter
Secunderabad: The Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) will hold the National Health Convention in Secunderabad, September 28-29.
The theme for the Convention is “Serving the Nation in Reaching the Unreached” as part of the overall five-year theme of “Action 2020: Re-positioning for the Future.”
“We have started receiving online registrations,” said Fr Mathew Abraham, C.Ss.R. MD, CHAI director-general.
CHAI is the Catholic church’s premier healthcare organization in India. Sister Dr. Mary Glowrey, an Australian nun founded CHAI in 1943.
It is one of the largest pan Indian healthcare networks in the country after the Government, consisting of 3521 member institutions: 1409 dispensaries, 913 health centers, and 928 hospitals – with over 50,000 beds, 210 disability rehabilitation centers, and 90 holistic care centers for PLHIV.
Over 92% of CHAI members are headed by Sister Doctors/Nurses/Social Workers and 84% serve in the medically underserved areas.
They operate under 11 regional units across India. CHAI members extend medical care to over 21 million persons in a year – with a team of 1000 Sister-Doctors; 25,000 Sister-Nurses; 10,000 plus Sister-paraprofessionals, around 40,000 Sister/Priest Social Workers and a huge number of lay employees.
Since its inception, CHAI holds its Annual General Body Meeting (AGBM) with its members. In 2018, as part of the Platinum Jubilee Celebration, it will hold the two-day National Health Convention.
“We are expecting around 500 representatives from the various member institutions of CHAI to gather on the occasion,” said Father Abraham.