Christian Hospital campus & off-campus holistic centers
Kachhwa Christian Hospital
eMi² Project 8140
June 4-16, 2008
See project location on Google Earth

Project status updates

20-25 October 2011
Sarah Young and I had an opportunity to visit KCH near Varanasi to meet with the hospital staff and see what was happening on campus as well as with the WASH program which Sarah has been connected to since it started up. The new residence that eMi² designed for the new surgeon at KCH is currently under construction. The brick has been laid for the walls of the building and the window and door frames have been set in place. They have yet to lay the ground floor slab as well as start on the first floor slab and walls.

The WASH program is going through a change in leadership, as the person that was running it for the last several years has recently left. Thankfully, there's someone to step in and run it that is familiar enough and experienced with the program. Sarah Young took the time to evaluate where WASH is at and give suggestions for improving the work. We visited a few villages to see how the toilets and hand pumps are being used. Everywhere it seemed like the toilets were being used to maximum capacity, if not overcapacity. In the places where they didn't have toilets or hand pumps, people were asking for them to be constructed.
– TMZ

13-17 February, 2011
Kacchwa Christian Hospital has been asking eMi² for some time for further assistance in designing a new residence for the surgeon who would be joining on board sometime soon. At the insistence of the surgeon, a new block was added which was not included in the initial master plan.

I left for Kacchwa on 13th February 2011 and arrived at Varanasi on 14th evening. I arrived later than expected and resorted to resting and prepare myself for the next day. Next morning Dr. Raju Abraham, his wife Catherine and some other staff member of KCH sat together to talk on the design requirement, and some issues regarding buildings that needs to be addressed immediately. Running a hospital with a mission to reach out to the local Hindu population is not easy and they shared their impending problem and complexities they meet on a regular basis.

In the meeting they unanimously approved 1200 sq.ft with three bedrooms as the standard size apartment for doctors. However there were varied opinions of the location and ultimately it was decided that the new building would be built on the footprint over existing goat shed to avoid any issues from local authority. After developing several options, the drawings below were approved to be the new residence for doctors who would join in the future.

Staff Housing Ground Floor Plan
Staff Housing First Floor Plan
Staff Housing Front Elevation
Staff Housing Side Elevation
-HM

26 June 2009
Ivy and Ko (intern) visited KCH to review the progress with the client.

Civil works progress:

• 2 leach lines were added next to the toilet block at J Block according to the discussion in Nov 08. cover for the pit was added.
• Diversion of rain/grey water has started but not completed since they have problem getting permission to public drainage connection.
  Leach lines were added at J Block

• B Block staff / guest unit renovation are completed.
• A big classroom next to the existing classroom building is added.
• H Block was partially renovated to give more office space.
• G Block (TC Mess) - addition of a meeting hall with new kitchen and toilets are in progress.
  Addition of meeting hall at G Block
• Suggestions for office and kitchens renovation as well as the addition of lab and X-ray rooms behind the hospital were given during the visit.