The renowned missionary Mr.Lieben
Derfer who was working in Calicut realised the need of medical work and a healing ministry
in Malabar area. He went back to earn a degree in Medicine and started a
mission hospital in Calicut in 1892, after his return.
In June 1893 he established a mission hospital at Codacal
as an outreach centre of the hospital in Calicut.
Codacal Hospital in 1893
Mr.Jonas Isiah, a medical
missionary from Calicut
was incharge of the Codacal
mission hospital. It was a boon for the local people of Codacal
irrespective of their caste or creed. Within a 6 months period of its inauguration,
it had treated more than 6000 patients. The present youth centre was the
consultation room of the doctors, and the doctors quarters existed in front
of this.
The medical work had a set back after the First
world war as the Germans were chased out of the country by the Britishers. But the work continued by the leadership of Mr.T.A.Thomas, Mr.Joseph Mannam paramba, Mr.Paul Chandran, Mr.Moses Ambat Dr.Herman was the last doctor (or “dresser”
as they were called then) of the mission hospital. The staff included Ms.Ruth Allianikkal Ms. Rachel Thachilodi as nursing staff and Mr.Sam
Paramjyothi, Mr.George, Mr.E.C.Hanoch as pharmacists.
Finally the hospital had to be closed down in 1934
due to financial constraints.
II Phase
In 1960 the standing committee of the CSI North Kerala Diocese seriously thought of reviving some of the
medical centres started by the German missionaries.
Dr. R.G.Riedel of the Chevayur Leprosy Hospital
suggested that the need of the day was a big multispeciality
hospital with facilities in a rural area instead of several scattered small
clinics. This was accepted by the committee and Dr.Riedel
was requested to prepare a project accordingly.
Meanwhile in 1962 the Bishop Rt.Rev:T.B.Benjamin
was invited by the Basel mission to visit Europe. He made use of this opportunity to present this
hospital project before the ‘Bread for the World’ a charitable organisation while he was in Stuttgard.
The organisation promised financial help and it was
received after approval from the CSI synod and world council of churches. The
selection of a suitable site for the hospital was almost unanimous. Codacal was the first choice. 2 to 50 acres of land were
offered at 2 or 3 places around Codacal. But
finally the 7 acres of land offered by Nehru Smaraka
Samithi led by Janab Moideenkutty Sahib was accepted. Ironically this land
belonged to the Basel Mission which later came under the Common wealth trust
and the Codacal tile factory. The Nehru Samithi purchased this land from the tile factory
management for the hospital.
The British architect Mr.Laury
Backer designed the present hospital. Mr.W.J.Kuruvilla
of Trichur prepared the estimate and the contractor
was Mr.Sreekandan from Calicut. The work
was supervised by the Engineers, Mr.Kuruvilla and
Mr. J.John of the CSI.
The hospital was inaugurated on 19th May 1970 by
the health minister of Kerala Mr.K.M.George
in the presence of Madhya Kerala Bishop the Rt.Rev:M.M.John and Bishop Benjamin. It functioned with 4
doctors and 16 staff initially and has grown to a multispeciality
hospital with 20 doctors and more than a hundred staff.
CSI Mission
Hospital in 2007
History
