Ambajipeta Women’s Hospital has been a beacon of compassionate healthcare and community service in the Konaseema region for more than five decades. Its story began in 1904 when Scottish missionaries Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Brown came to India and started mission work in Ambajipeta. Mrs. Brown initiated the first medical outreach through dispensary services for women, laying the foundation for future healthcare ministry.
The hospital’s remarkable growth began in 1967 under the leadership of Dr Irene Leeser, a dedicated missionary doctor who came to India in obedience to God’s call. Deeply burdened by the lack of accessible healthcare for women in East Godavari, especially those separated by river crossings and poor transport facilities, she established a women’s hospital at Ambajipeta to provide timely and compassionate medical care. Starting with just four inpatient rooms in 1967, the hospital expanded into a 55-bed institution by 1970.
In 1969, Miss. Sylvia Wright, a nurse from New zealand joined Dr. Leeser, and together they transformed the hospital into a major healthcare center with wards, operation theatres, laboratories, outpatient services, and later an eye hospital. They were also joined by nurse, Miss. Pauline Hodgkinson from Australia, who served faithfully from 1971 to 1986, 2004-2005 and 2006-2007, alongside many dedicated Indian nurses and hospital staff. Outreach clinics were established in rural areas to make healthcare accessible to underserved communities.
Over the years, the hospital has delivered more than 54,000 babies, performed 42,000 surgeries, and cared for over 93,000 inpatients. Today, with departments including Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, and Radiology, along with free medical camps and outreach clinics, the hospital continues its mission of serving people with compassion, dignity, and Christian love.