Bahra charitable trust’s 43-year journey of healing, transforming lives

For over four decades, SPS Bahra Memorial Hospital and the S Lakha Singh Bahra Charitable Trust, Chachoki, Phagwara, have been setting an example in the field of social service, blending healthcare with compassion and education with opportunity. From providing scholarships to needy students to offering affordable and free medical treatment, the Trust has emerged as a pillar of support for the underprivileged.

Established in 1982 with a vision to empower youth through education, the Trust has so far granted scholarships to 2,251 poor, intelligent and deserving students from schools and colleges. The hospital, operational since 1993, extends affordable healthcare with an OPD fee of just Rs 80, serving more than 150 patients every day. Concessions on medical bills are regularly given to economically weaker sections, while 46 inmates of Birdh Ashram, Virk, receive free treatment, including exemption from OPD charges. Similarly, students of Government Primary and Girls High School, Chachoki, are treated free of cost during medical emergencies in school hours. The institution also eases the burden of medical expenses by offering a 10 per cent discount on all medicines purchased from its pharmacy.

In the field of eye care, the Trust has made a significant impact since the establishment of its Eye Care Unit in 2009. A total of 52 free eye camps have been organised, during which 24,923 patients were examined and 4,259 underwent successful

eye surgeries.

Diagnostic and treatment services at the hospital remain well within the reach of the common man, with rates such as Rs 150 for Digital X-rays and Rs 150 for ECG tests — substantially lower than prevailing market prices.

Specialised units in gynaecology, medicine, eye care and dentistry are also available at minimal costs, alongside advanced facilities like air-conditioned private rooms, a computerised laboratory and an air-conditioned ambulance service.

A unique aspect of the Trust’s functioning is that all trustees render honorary services, ensuring that every resource is directed solely towards patient welfare and community service.

Highlighting these initiatives, Trust Secretary Saroop Singh Bansal told The Tribune that the hospital is not merely a medical institution, but a mission to serve humanity.

“Our aim has always been to help the poor and needy, whether through scholarships for education or affordable treatment in times of illness,” he said.

Through its sustained efforts, SPS Bahra Memorial Hospital and the S Lakha Singh Bahra Charitable Trust continue to embody the spirit of service, reaffirming the belief that healthcare and education are not privileges, but rights that must reach even the most marginalised sections of society.