Meyu Changkiri
Like many people across North East India, I had long known the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), Dimapur, simply as the “Referral Hospital.” Although I had visited the hospital a few years ago when one of my teachers and the sister of a friend were receiving treatment there, I knew very little about the institution itself. Recently, however, I had the opportunity to learn more about CIHSR, and what I discovered inspired me to share this reflection with our churches and the wider community.
As I began reading about its history, I also came to understand why so many people still affectionately call it the “Referral Hospital.” The institution was originally established by the Government of Nagaland as the Referral Hospital, a name by which it became widely known across the region. In 2006, through a partnership with the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, and the Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA), it was transformed into the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR). Since then, it has grown into a comprehensive Christian institution dedicated not only to healthcare but also to medical education, research and community service. Yet because of its long association with the people of the region, many of us still know it simply as the “Referral Hospital.”
While reviewing official correspondence, an invitation to a CIHSR Board meeting caught my attention. Curious to learn more, I spoke with my predecessors, contacted the CIHSR office, and read through its constitutional documents and publications. What I discovered was both encouraging and inspiring.
CIHSR is much more than a hospital. It is a Christian institution established through a remarkable partnership between the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore; the Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA); the Government of Nagaland; and Guardian Bank, Bengaluru. Registered as a Society in Dimapur, it serves not only the North Eastern states but people from across India. I was also encouraged to learn that the North East India Christian Council (NEICC) is one of the members of this Society.
As I learned more about this institution and its ministry, I felt that many of our churches and members would also benefit from knowing more about this remarkable Christian ministry.
One of the Society’s objectives particularly impressed me. It seeks “to provide for the full recognition of the moral and spiritual basis of life in its relation to health” while establishing centres of excellence in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare. Those words remind us that healthcare is not merely about treating disease. It is also about recognising the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God, and serving each person with compassion and respect.
Among the many ministries of CIHSR, one that especially touched my heart is the Patient Social Support Service (PSSS). Established in May 2024, PSSS exists to ensure that no patient is denied healthcare because of financial hardship. Supported through contributions from hospital staff, churches, families and generous donors, it provides financial assistance, food coupons, nutritional support, care supplies, transportation assistance and emergency welfare interventions for patients in need.
The scope of this ministry extends far beyond financial assistance. Patients receive essential items such as nutritional supplements, dressing materials, laboratory investigation support, caregiver accommodation and transport assistance. Those who are homeless, abandoned or without family are cared for with dignity and compassion, even during the final stages of life. Much of this ministry takes place quietly, away from public attention, yet it reflects the love of Christ in practical and meaningful ways.
While finalising this article, another example of CIHSR’s wider ministry came to my attention. The Police Commissionerate, Dimapur, shared news of a two-day training programme jointly organised with the Department of Emergency Medicine at CIHSR. Traffic police personnel were trained as first responders to road traffic accident sites through structured, hands-on instruction in emergency trauma care and pre-hospital stabilisation of accident victims. According to the Police Commissionerate, the initiative is believed to be among the first of its kind in the country. The Commissioner of Police expressed appreciation to the Director and staff of CIHSR for partnering in this important road safety initiative, recognising it as a significant step towards strengthening emergency response capabilities and improving trauma care outcomes in Nagaland.
This initiative illustrates something important. CIHSR’s ministry is not confined within the walls of the hospital. Its doctors, nurses, educators and staff are helping to equip others with knowledge and skills that can save lives long before a patient reaches the emergency department. In doing so, the institution is extending its healing ministry into the wider community.
Reflecting on these ministries reminded me that healing is not only about curing disease. It is also about preventing suffering, restoring dignity, equipping others to serve and assuring every person that they are valued because they are created in the image of God. This is a powerful expression of Christian witness.
As I reflected on all that I had learned, another thought came to mind. Many of our churches and members across North East India may not be fully aware of CIHSR or the ministry it carries out every day. Because the institution is located in Dimapur, many simply know it as the “Referral Hospital,” without realising the breadth of Christian service it offers to countless families across our region.
Perhaps one reason for this is the quiet spirit in which the institution carries out its work. During my interactions with CIHSR, I was impressed by its humility. There is no obvious attempt to seek recognition or public acclaim. The focus remains on serving patients, training healthcare professionals and fulfilling its mission with faithfulness. Such quiet and faithful service is deeply admirable.
Yet there is also value in making such ministries better known. Not because an institution or its leaders seek recognition, but because both the Church and the wider society should know where God is at work through Christian service. When ministries of compassion are shared, they encourage faith, inspire generosity, strengthen public confidence and create opportunities for partnership in serving the common good.
Christian institutions have, for generations, made significant contributions to education, healthcare and social welfare across our country. Their doors have remained open to all, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, language or social background. Their calling has never been simply to build institutions, but to serve people with excellence, integrity and compassion because every human being is created in the image of God.
In our own time, the work and motives of Christian institutions are sometimes misunderstood. For that reason, it is important that their contribution to society is better known. Making such ministries visible is not about seeking publicity; it is about bearing faithful witness to the values that inspire them. When people see lives being healed, the poor being cared for, young people being educated and communities being served with sincerity, they are able to appreciate that Christian witness is expressed not only through words, but also through humble acts of love, mercy and service.
Throughout the Gospels, our Lord Jesus Christ ministered to the whole person. He preached the Kingdom of God, but He also healed the sick, comforted the suffering, welcomed those whom society had rejected and restored hope to the broken-hearted. His compassion was never separated from His truth. Wherever the Church follows His example, the Gospel becomes visible in everyday life.
Christian healthcare has always been one of the Church’s greatest contributions to society. Across the world, hospitals, medical colleges and healthcare institutions established by Christian communities have served millions of people regardless of their religion, ethnicity or social background. They have done so because every human life possesses God-given dignity.
Institutions such as CIHSR remind us that the Christian faith has always found practical expression in service to society. Hospitals, schools, colleges and social service organisations established by Christians are not ends in themselves; they are expressions of Christ’s love for humanity. They seek to build healthier communities, educate future generations, relieve suffering and uphold the dignity of every person. This legacy deserves to be understood, appreciated and strengthened for the benefit of all.
CIHSR stands within this rich Christian tradition. It combines professional excellence with compassionate service. It educates future healthcare professionals, advances medical research, serves the wider community and reaches out to those who are poor and vulnerable. In every one of these ministries, it reflects the healing compassion of Christ.
As one of the member organisations of the CIHSR Society, the North East India Christian Council has every reason to appreciate, pray for and promote this ministry. Our churches can support this work in many ways. We can recommend patients who require specialised care. We can remember the institution in our prayers. Those whom God has blessed may also consider supporting ministries such as the Patient Social Support Service, enabling more financially challenged patients to receive compassionate care.
The witness of the Church is strengthened when we become more familiar with such ministries, celebrate them appropriately and participate through prayer, partnership and practical support. It is my hope that this reflection will encourage many more people across North East India to discover CIHSR - not only as a centre of medical excellence but also as a Christian ministry of healing, learning, compassion and hope.
When I first heard the name “Referral Hospital,” I thought only of a place where patients were referred for specialised treatment. Today, after learning more about CIHSR, I see something much greater. I see a Christian institution committed to healing, education, research, community service and compassionate care. I see doctors, nurses, teachers, administrators, chaplains, support staff and countless others working together to serve people in the spirit of Christ.
In a world where illness often brings fear, uncertainty and loneliness, institutions such as CIHSR remind us that the healing ministry of Christ continues - not only through words of faith but also through skilled hands that heal, compassionate hearts that care and dedicated lives that serve.
May God continue to bless the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research, its Board, leadership, faculty, doctors, nurses, students and every member of its staff. May He strengthen them in their calling, grant them wisdom and compassion, and use this remarkable institution so that many more people across North East India and beyond may experience healing, hope and the love of Christ.
