Frances Newton Hospital (FNH):

The medical missionary work in this sensitive border town was started in the year 1894 by the Presbyterian Church of USA. Rev. Janvier Newton and his wife Mrs. Frances on whom the hospital is named arrived in Firozpur in the year 1877. The same year i.e. 1877 Rev. Janvier had to return to US for health reasons. He took a two years condensed medical course at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. Although this was not long enough time to get medical degree, it qualified him to do much for the benefit of the sick. In 1882 when he took charge of the Mission work in Firozpur, he opened a small dispensary in Firozpur City and daily treated a number of patients during summer, while in winter he connected medical work with his preaching. He traveled to the surrounding villages on a camel, back carrying his saddle bags of medicines and equipment. He worked mainly among men. Mrs. Frances, Dr. Newton’s wife on whom the hospital is named, was much concerned about the women as there was no medical facility for them. She started running a dispensary for women and children from her residence. Later on, her daughter after taking a short medical course in America joined her. It was the mid 1880’s that this dispensary from their home started functioning. When she had gone to US for leave and lying on sick bed in the Women’s hospital, Philadelphia, Mrs. Frances Newton thought of building a hospital for the women and children of Firozpur area. She started talking about this and praying about it. The result was $2000/- collected to build the hospital for women and children. That was the beginning of Frances Newton Hospital and a 50 bed hospital was finally opened in 1894, and later on School of Nursing was opened in 1923. The first fully trained Missionary doctor that came out to the Frances Newton Hospital, Firozpur was Dr. Maud Allen from California. She was the Medical Superintendent of the hospital for 30 years. She owned a car which was very very rare thing ‘Model-T Ford’. She was an outstanding doctor and liked by all. Dr. Grace Edwards was the next missionary to be the Medical Superintendent for the next six years. She got married and Dr. Dorothy Ferris took charge of the hospital in 1936. Dr. Ferris, a graduate from the University of Cincinnati and a short course at the Columbus College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, before coming to India. She spent a year in Language schools.

It was in 1947, the year of India’s Independence and the time of partition of Punjab that the men patients most of whom were the victims of the communal violence of those days were also admitted to the hospital. It was then that the hospital became a general hospital for women, children and men. The terrible floods of 1947 razed to ground 36 out of the 39 buildings of the buildings. Dr. Ferris discussed about the floods and the damage to the hospital. She said, “Then ofcourse cae the problem? What are we going to do? Are we going to rebuild or not? The hospital was on the border, the centre of conflict between Pakistan and India. Everybody advised us not to build. It was too dangerous place. Every time there is trouble we would be in middle of it, and so we made it a matter of prayer”. She continued, “Lord, where do you want the hospital? Do you want it or is time to close?” Dr. Ferris said that the answer came that “I will establish you after your old estates, and I will do better upto you than at the first, and you will know that I am God.” So on this foundation the new hospital was built. The donations came from the Presbyterian Women’s Jubilee Fund. In place of the 85 bed hospital prior to the floods, a 150 bed hospital was built and officially opened in 1953. On the retirement of the last Missionary Medical Superintendent, Dr. Dorothy Ferris and Dr.& Mrs. Bakhshish Masih were contacted in New York and asked to return to India to take over the responsibilities of the hospital from Dr. CY. Satow who had acted as the Medical Superintendent after Dr. Ferris retired. In 1986 Dr. Bakhshish Masih left and went to the States. The responsibility of running Frances Newton Hospital was handed over to Dr. Richard David who was working as Deputy Medical Superintendent and joined with his wife Dr.(Mrs.) Reena David in September 1976. Dr. Richard David worked in Frances Newton Hospital as a Director/Medical Superintendent till 31st July, 2014. Dr. Anurag Amin has been appointed as Director Medical Superintendent on 1st August, 2014. The Lord has blessed the work started by the American Presbyterian Missionaries in Firozpur and today it is a general hospital of 150 beds.

Our motto is to serve the sick and the suffering. The hallmark of our institution continues to be excellent doctor and nursing care all 24 hours. We are about 700 people living on this 12 acres campus. The most prominent feature is the friendly and caring atmosphere prevailing both inside and outside of the hospital. We happen to be richly blessed as innumerable people who are in India or abroad constantly pray for the staff and the students as well as the development and progress of this institution. We have gone through wars, floods, riots, all sorts of disasters and problems and yet our God has not abandoned us. He has kept the ship of Frances Newton Hospital sailing. He has raised help so that the hospital is able to do greater things. Today Frances Newton Hospital can function up to the capacity of 150 beds where all basic facilities and specialties are available at a very reasonable and affordable cost to the patient regardless of his/her caste, creed or religion. Needless to say that this institution being a charitable one adequate concession and free treatment is given to the deserving patients.

Infrastructure and Facilities

We at present offer the following facilities:

4 bedded ICCU, 13 bedded Medical ICU, 10+ bedded Surgical ICU. 8 bedded ICN with warmer, 4 bedded Pre-term Nursery, efficient, good, clean Labour room and delivery rooms, 3 Operating rooms. All these facilities is backed up by a very dedicated team of nurses, doctors and qualified Anesthesiologist. The doors of our hospital are always open all 24 hours round the clock and round the year.

A very well equipped automated Medical Laboratory run by especially trained and qualified staff which does over 40000 Lab. Tests annually. Open all 24 hours. It also has a Microbiology section managed by qualified Microbiologist.

Provision for Ultrasound with colour dropper under qualified Sonologist.

Well-established Physiotherapy Unit under the supervision of a qualified Physiotherapist.

Availability of Dental Surgeon, maxillofacial Surgeon and an ENT Surgeon 24x7.

Visiting Orthopedic Surgon, Urology Surgeons, Neuro Surgeons. Unit being run by competent trained medical personnels.

E.C.G, Digital X-Ray, C-Arm are available.

The Eye deptt. Has an exclusively Operation Room with an Operating Microscope. The Eye OPD section has latest equipments – Hand held Slit Lamp, A Scan, Autorefractometer, Keratometer, Operating Lamp, Low Vision Kit.