NASHUA, NH–When an attorney of a patient of Dr. Ashok Patel, DMD, called and wanted him to come to his office immediately, Dr. Patel got scared.
Dr. Patel, founder of Nashua, NH-based Nashua Implant Reconstruction Center, immediately rushed to the attorney’s office. The patient, Richard Condorell, had died and left a will, giving away his entire savings of $100,000 to Dr. Patel.
Dr. Patel was surprised to hear that he was the sole beneficiary of the will, and set up a foundation in Mr. Condorell’s name: Richard Condorell Memorial Foundation, a tax exempt entity under 501 (c)3.
Dr. Patel also got inspired to do something for the humanity from that money and in the name of Mr. Condorell. In 2011, he decided to start a specialty hospital in the tribal district of Dang in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Dr. Patel has used $100,000 from Mr. Condorell, made his own personal and family contributions and raised some money from friends and like-minded people to build the hospital, that includes four buildings totaling 60,000 square feet of space.
The hospital, named Vanbndhu Arogya Dham, or Healthcare Center for Tribal People, is nearly complete and is scheduled open to the public in 2019. Located in Ahwa in the Dang district, the hospital aims to benefit thousands of underprivileged and poor people in the area.
“We need some $200,000 to give the finishing touches to the buildings and furnish the hospital with basic furniture and equipment,” said Dr. Patel.
In addition to building the hospital, Dr. Patel takes doctors from the United States to Dang annually to provide basic healthcare services and treatment of tribal people.
During the first week of December this year, Dr. Patel is taking about 55 physicians and medical professional from across the United States to Dang.
“They want to help and do some research on 53,000 school children and people in the area and provide free health care,” Dr. Patel told INDIA New England News. “95 percent population in Dang is tribal. Many of them have never see a doctor.”
He said many of the kids have skin problems, vision issues and dental challenges.
“The visiting physicians and health professional will help them on these fronts,” Dr. Patel said. “We have been doing this since 2014.”
Dr Patel said it is important to keep serving people in the name of Mr. Condorell, who was a patient of Dr. Patel in his Waltham, MA office.
Mr. Condorell had lost his left eye in the Vietnam war and an ear during the Second World War. He was also fascinated by Hinduism and enjoyed discussing Indian mythology with Dr. Patel.
Dr. Patel said the hospital will provide free medical and dental care to 53,000 school going children who have limited access to medical and dental treatments. In addition, the facility plans to train physicians and dentists in surgical and other sophisticated procedures.
The facility will also include the following:
Primary healthcare center, emergency treatment center, pathology and microbiology lab, blood storage facility/blood bank, operation theaters, eye and dental care centers, private rooms for admitted patients, hostel for trainee girls and pharmacy and medical store, among others.
