The United Christian Hospital had offered services to all without distinction of color, creed or race and is still doing the same. UCH endeavor to provide quality medical and health care to the people at the price they can afford. The origin of United Christian Hospital is forever linked with the compassion and efforts of Christians living in Lahore who responded to the crises of August 1947. At the time of partition, thousands of families arriving in Pakistan or departing to India were traveling along the Ferozepur Road, a thorough fare which runs parallel to the campus of Forman Christian College. The Christians from FCC and other parts of Lahore went out near the border and set up a camp at the site where today is ‘Bab-e-Pakistan’ to help those wounded, home less and devastated people. Those who helped the sick and wounded refugees used F. Campus where initially tents were installed to house the refugees. Later FCC hostels vacated by Hindu students were converted into a make shift Refugee Relief Center. Rice, Principal of FCC, Prof. Carter Speers, Deputy Principal of FCC, Dr. & Mrs. Sinclair, and Prof. Sinclair, Prof. Dass, Prof. Sirkar and Mr. Jacob worked to establish the First Aid Station. Requests went out for assistance to the Government and to various Christian groups throughout the world for money, equipment and personnel. Staff was put together with help from the Government Health Directorate which rotated a few doctors it had through the center while Christian mission doctors in Pakistan responded to the call of emergency. Thus, without any premeditated planning, a Refugee Relief Center was opened which was to become the foundation of UCH. On January 1, 1948, at a meeting of the various Protestant Missions in Pakistan, the decision was made to develop the refugee center into a continuing effort by the Christian community to provide health care in Lahore. A committee was established under the chairmanship of Professor Speers to proceed with plans for a 115 bed hospital. The opening ceremony of the new hospital was held on May 5, 1948. Sir Francis Moody the British Governor of the Punjab, conducted the ceremony in which the name was officially changed from refuges Hospital to the United Christian Hospital. The hospital was controlled and guided by a Managing Committee. The ceaseless efforts of Professor Speers made that, effective renovation of the hostels into a workable hospital accommodation was realized and needed equipment, supplies and funds were obtained from donors. The Board of Directors of FCC made an immeasurable contribution when they decided in 1948 to make the North and West Halls available to the hospital for three years charging no rent. A significant step was made for extending the service and outreach of U.C.H with the establishment and recognition of the School of Nursing by the Government of Pakistan September 25, 1949. Enrollment was to be based on a three year course for nursing and a fourth year devoted to midwifery. There were seven students in the first nursing class at UCH. Early in its history the purpose of U.C.H was stated:
As the name indicates, it is the outcome of the united effort of the majority of the Protestant Christian Mission working in Pakistan for the select purpose of giving physical and practical expression to the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ by serving the sick and the needy of this land irrespective of cast, creed or nationality. During its first decade the hospital developed departments of medicine, surgery, Ob- gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology and orthopedics. Dr. Vroon, the first Medical Director, was succeeded by Dr. Ralph Blocksama whose skills in surgery did much to develop a high standard in the department. PRESENT SITUATION & FUTURE PLAN
Unfortunately UCH started declining for known and unknown reasons. However God is not yet through with it and its ministry. Dr. Immanuel Benjamin Former Director in 1970’s dedicated his late years of his life to bring UCH back to its feet. He collected funds and had the repair, renovation and refurbishing of the physical infrastructure to keep the services going on. He hired the basic staff also to keep the Hospital going. UCH is going through its revival phase since then (2005). Currently UCH is providing Obstetric & Gynecology, Orthopedic Surgery, General Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatric and Ophthalmology and Out Reach Public Health. All these services need further development and strengthening. UCH lacked Diagnostic facilities. Thank God we now have Digital X-Ray and Computerized Radiography System. We are in the process now to upgrade our Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. UCH still lacks in ICU/CCU facility. The future plans are to upgrade General Surgery, Pediatric & Neonatal, Public Health Out Reach, Diagnostic facilities, start Dental Services, Dialysis Services and start state of the art ICU/CCU Services including adequate and proper Emergency. The United Christian Hospital continues its trainings in X-Ray Technology and Laboratory. The training facilities need further development and upgraded. A Grade Nursing Training at UCH was with held by PNC temporarily because of lack of patients and facilities. However it continued to train girls from the community in Community Midwifery and Practical Nursing. An estimated cost to train one student in Practical Nurse Training comes to Rs.10, 000/- per month. The trainees are asked to pay Rs.1000/- per month if day scholar and Rs.3,000/month if in hostel only. Rest of the cost is borne by Hospital from its meager revenue it generates. The School of Nursing has improved its facilities and UCH has increased its patients load. The School of Nursing has the capacity and capability now to re-start its A grade Nursing training, BSC Nursing and BSN. The financial constrains still do not allow us to do so. UCH still can not generate revenue enough to support these training. We need help, support in form of medical equipment plus volunteer services from all the medical specialists to serve this hospital.
