Govthospital Mannarkkad

Down in Alikkal, the Govthospital Mannarkkad is where a lot of the local life happens. It’s a simple building that serves a lot of people from the surrounding hills and villages. When the rains come to Mannarkkad, the porch gets crowded with people trying to stay dry while they wait for their names to be called. We don't have any fancy waiting rooms with soft chairs. Most of the seating is just long wooden benches that have been there for decades. The atmosphere is usually a bit loud, with kids running around and people talking over the sound of the rain or the fans. We handle a bit of everything here. You might see someone with a fever sitting next to someone who hurt their hand working in the fields. The staff at Alikkal are mostly locals themselves, so there is a lot of greeting people by name. We don't use much technology; it's mostly ledger books and handwritten notes. It can be frustrating when the power goes out, which happens sometimes, but we just carry on with flashlights if we have to. It isn't a perfect place, and sometimes we run low on supplies, but we make do with what is available. We don't try to impress anyone with big words or fancy promises. We just open the doors every morning and try to help the people who show up at our doorstep in Alikkal. It’s just how things are done here in this part of the world.