St. Stephen’s Hospital, Delhi
A commemorative postage stamp on the Centenary of the St Stephens Hospital, TIS Hazari (1885–1985), oldest and one of the largest private Hospitals in Delhi :
Issued by India
Issued on Nov 25, 1985
Description of Designs : The 100 P. two colour stamp has been designed by India Security Press, Nashik Road. The stamp shows the Central Hospital Building. The First Day Cover shows the picture of the Hospital, at Chandni Chowk where the Hospital was first established on 31 Oct., 1885. The cancellation design which shows the emblem of the Hospital has been prepared by Nenu Bagga.
Type : Stamp, Postal Used
Colour : Two colour
Denomination : 100 Paise
Overall size : 4.06 x 2.73 cms.
Printing size : 3.71 x 2.38 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Unwatermarked adhesive stamp paper
Number printed : 15,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 40
Printing process : Photogravure
Printed at : India Security Press
About :
- St. Stephen’s Hospital was opened on the 31st October, 1885 as the first hospital for women and children in Delhi. It blossomed from the pioneering field work started earlier by a non-medical English missionary, Mrs. Priscilla Winter and a group of dedicated women who joined her later on. Born out of love and concern for the underprivileged, St. Stephen‘s Hospital has passed through various stages in its need-based growth under the stewardship of a long chain of committed and dedicated ladies who worked with missionary zeal. Starting as a solitary figure distributing medicines on the banks of river Yamuna (1864), the institution grew into a tiny dispensary in a rented house (1874), a 40 bed women and children hospital at Chandni Chowk (1885), a 100 bed hospital at Tis Hazari (1909), a 375 bed general hospital (1976), to reach its present status as a renowned 450 bed modern hospital well equipped to handle practically all the health needs of the community with all specialities.
- St. Stephen‘s, apart from being the first Zanana hospital was also the first to start pre-natal and well-baby clinics. It was the first to be recognised for post-partum programme by the Government and the first to start a Nursing Training School.
- The philosophy of service and compassion that has been the motivating force of this institution throughout its history has now become a way of life in St. Stephen‘s which has a high standard of personal patient care.
- The hospital has championed the cause of service to the economically weaker sections of society by having the highest percentage of beds (75%) in the general ward. In the general ward the treatment is subsidised and the very poor are treated free of cost. This concept has also made the hospital reach out to the resettlement colonies across the Yamuna where it has established a Community Health Care Centre, as its base for the integrated Community Health Programme.
- St. Stephen’s Hospital enters its second century with the challenging task of implementing a major development programme to upgrade its services to meet the growing needs of the community. The Hospital’s motto is “In love serve one another“.
- Smt. Indira Gandhi in a message sent on the 17th September, 1984 wrote :
- “St. Stephen‘s Hospital has become a part of the lives of the people of Delhi. It has shared their joys and sorrows for a century. As the first hospital for women and children in this city it was a pioneer in bringing benefits to sections of society which were otherwise neglected. The Social Welfare Programmes of the Hospital and its continuing concern for the poor give it a special status.
- My good wishes to St. Stephen‘s Hospital for the celebration of its centenary. Its history is a tribute to the memory of the great human being after whom it is named.“
