As details emerge about the tragic loss of 18 patients, highlighting the stark deficiencies in the public health infrastructure of Thane district, a beacon of hope shines from a small village on its outskirts. Gharivali village, located near Kalyan-Dombivli, boasts an impressive feat: out of its 30 households, 20 have produced qualified doctors, and an additional five are nurturing ambitions to earn their MBBS degrees in the near future.
This fantastic feat has earned Gharivali the nicely-deserved name of "Doctorancha Gaav" translating to "Village of Doctors".The medical centers at the fringes of Kalyan-Dombivli are a ways from ideal, forcing residents to undertake an adventure of at least five kilometers to attain the nearest personal medical institution close to Dombivli station in instances of emergency. Even today, handy and properly prepared number-one health facilities continue to be scarce within the location.
When I was young, I felt that if a patient in pain visits a doctor and the doctor fixes all of his problems, then he is almost like a god," said Dr. Patil, 48, recalling what motivated him to seek a career in medicine. How beautiful is this line of work? You can get wealth, honor, and blessings all at once.
Dr. Patil lost his father soon after completing his HSC, but his brother supported him in pursuing his goals. Because so little guidance was available to me in the 1990s, he remarked, "There was very little help." "I'm happy that I can now direct children traveling from my community. There are five physicians in my immediate family and extended family, he remarked with pride.
Dr. Sanjay Patil's impact extended to Manoj Patil, who pursued a degree in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery. Manoj reminisces about the village's past, when there was sudden unemployment due to a factory closure that cast a shadow over Gharivali. Yet, via perseverance and inspiration from Dr. Patil, the village embarked on a journey to transform into a "Village of Doctors." Manoj, 38, remarks, "Our parents supported us unconditionally. Today, our village stands united, championing education for both boys and girls without bias."
Subhash Patil, 50, a former village leader, beams with pleasure at the collective success. "The success of Dr. Sanjay Patil served as a beacon of opportunity for everyone else. It was a shared sentiment: if he could reap it, so might we. This perception catalyzed more people to finish their medical research." Looking ahead, Patil envisions a health facility wherein village medical doctors can offer free treatment to the less fortunate, strengthening their ties to the community.
In Gharivali, the journey from confined sources to a thriving hub of medical information underscores the energy of inspiration, dedication, and communal guidance. The village has transformed into a living testimony that goals, when nurtured collectively, can certainly become reality.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Arpita Meher)
