Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Originally from the southern part of India, Ms. Vedha, who now runs an elderly care home in Bodhgaya in the state of Bihar, used to work as a staff member of AMDA Peace Clinic (APC). 

After losing her husband in her late 30s, her unwavering determination to dedicate the rest of her life to supporting the poor led her to relocate to the county’s most impoverished state. Following her work at APC, she founded a care home to help the elderly people who had no one to tend to.

As a qualified Ayurveda therapist, she used to run the care home by allocating part of her income, which she gained through massage services, to tourists visiting Bodhgaya. However, this became extremely difficult due to the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the government started imposing travel restrictions and lockdowns. 

Eventually, she gave up on the idea and had been running her facility with the support of AMDA and other aid organizations. The period between March 2020 and March 2022 had been the toughest time for the home financially, and it was during this time that AMDA regularly provided food assistance, along with its support to APC patients.

During his tour in India in November 2022, AMDA President Dr. Shigeru Suganami visited the care home. The facility has been taking care of 16 elderly residents in a one-story brick building covered with a tin roof. Inside, beds are lined up with no partitions in a large open space.

As of now, the facility has been struggling to make ends meet as there is no regular assistance provided by aid organizations. Except for occasional donations made by wealthy individuals who drop by several times a month to provide foodstuffs, clothing, medicine and other supplies, the home continues to face financial difficulties.

This time, AMDA donated one year’s worth of rice, one cow, two calves, 20 chickens, and five ducks to help ease the current situation. By selling their eggs and milk, the home is expected to generate income from the livestock animals, while supplying the dairy products to its residents themselves. The profits made from the merchandise will be used for medical bills and funeral fees of the residents.

In appreciation for AMDA’s support, Ms. Vedha gave the following comment: 

“Thank you so much for providing us with the livestock animals. Our residents say they are actually having fun taking care of them every day. Because we were in a difficult financial situation, we couldn’t have eggs or milk very often. But thanks to these cows and chickens, we can have them on a daily basis, making everyone healthier than ever. I must also stress that keeping these animals helps us save money for emergency cases such as unexpected hospitalizations or funerals of our residents. To this regard, it has really put us at ease. We cannot thank enough for the assistance we received.”