These developments were explored through our hospitals. Kurji Holy Family Hospital, Patna (see www. http://kurjiholyfamilyhospital.com/) expanded its outreach and Community Services very early. It also opened two centers for Community Health and Rural Development in Dibra (1963) and Maner (1969) and an Urban Community Health Center (1970) with the goal of empowerment of people through relevant activities. Women were the special emphasis whether for basic primary education or training programs to become traditional birth attendants, health promoters, community health workers or home nurses. This has borne fruit in women developing self-respect and confidence, recognizing their potential to make a difference in their families and in their communities. Government recognized the good work done by the Public Health Department and made it a participant in the Public Health section of its Third Five Year Plan, with a grant for its services. A Community Care Centre for HIV/AIDS reached out to about 2000 affected persons in 2011/12 and conducted awareness education for prevention of HIV/AIDS in schools of Patna Unit.
In Holy Family Hospital, Mandar, Ranchi Unit, by 1965 doctors and nurses went out of the hospital to conduct weekly clinics in areas surrounding the hospital and by 1973 the Community Health Department focused on maternal and child health, besides school health and home visiting. It also conducted Achievement Motivation sessions for villagers, participated in the WHO national small pox eradication program and the Government sponsored Total Literacy Program, trained people to function in Gram Sabhas (general meeting of villagers in a Panchayat), to make Panchayats (village self-rule) operative. New initiatives in Mandar are a Government program for safe mother and child (Mukya Mantri Janani Swasthya Surakhsa Yojna) and work with the youth.
Rural Integrated Holistic Approach to Alcoholism (RIHAA) keeps in touch and expands its work with families plagued by alcoholic members by door to door visit. RIHAA at the hospital and in its Community work has been beneficial to many individuals and their families (read more).
Post 1974, these developments were further expanded, for the empowerment of people, by individuals and groups of MMS who initiated or participated in movements with and for the poor, the youth and in running Self Help Groups.
