Fatima Hospital Perumbadappu

We have been here in Perumbadappu for quite a few years now. Fatima Hospital isn't one of those giant glass buildings you see in the city center of Cochin, but we are here for the neighborhood. Most of us grew up around here, so when you walk in, there is usually someone who knows your family name. It gets pretty loud in the waiting area, especially when the kids are in for their shots. We do our best to keep things organized, even when the power goes out or the rain is coming down hard outside. The nurses stay busy with charts and checking temperatures, and the doctors try to listen to everyone, even when there's a long line. It is just a regular place where people come when they have a fever or need stitches. We don’t have fancy rugs or anything like that. Just plain floors and chairs that have seen a lot of use. People stop by at odd hours sometimes because health issues don't follow a clock. We are just part of the local scenery, right here where we’ve always been. It’s not always easy work, but it’s what we do. Sometimes we run out of chairs on busy mornings, so folks just lean against the walls and chat. It's a community thing as much as a medical thing. We just keep going one day at a time.