JAWAHARLAL HENRIQUES: DEDICATED TO GOA!

 

School Ex-student Luminary: (4) Dr Jawaharlal Henriques

 ~ Medical Practitioner (Goa) ~

(by Marci Pereira – May 2017)

                                                           

                                                           

 

                                                                                                    Dr. Jawaharlal Henriques

 

 

a) Refreshing Success Story in Goa

 

Whereas so many of us, having left Mombasa, chose to establish life and home in English speaking countries around the world, this is an unusual and an inspiring case of an ex-student making a success back in our ‘motherland’, Goa, itself.    Jawaharlal Henriques, achieved the Cambridge Higher School Certificate at the Sacred Heart High School, Mombasa in 1964, and proceeded to Goa, for higher education.  He studied Medicine at the Goa Medical College and now proudly owns and runs the renowned, ‘St Anthony’s Hospital & Research Centre in Anjuna, Goa.  He confronted his challenges, as did we all, in trying to establish ourselves in a new country and environment.

 

 

b)  ‘Goa University for Goans’  ~ Active Campaigner

 

 During my research, I happened to enquire about his transition from Kenya to Goa and what adaptation was like in that ‘new country’.  I was intrigued by his revelation of the difficulty he encountered of getting into university in Goa.  Here is an extract of his response to my queries:

 

“The first student strike in Goa was organised by me in the year 1970 for a noble cause.  A Goan could not get admission into a Medical or Engineering college outside Goa whereas about 20 to 23 students from Gujarat would be admitted to Goa Medical College ~ The oldest Medical College in Asia.  I fought this on the theme: That I was an Indian and if I could not be admitted in a college outside Goa then the Goa Medical College should be closed to outsiders.  We won this battle.”

 

That was indeed a brave, courageous and gutsy move on Jawaharlal’s part, to mobilise such an action against a government funded institution, especially in a country like India.  Thankfully, it paid off in his case, having achieved the desired result.  However, from my annual visits to Goa, I am well aware that the problem for university places in Medicine and Engineering, are hugely oversubscribed for our youngsters, to this day (2017).  Sadly, placements are not based exclusively on merit, in so many cases.  It is what you are worth, or better still, what your dad is worth.   Such practice unfairly denies bright and genuine talent, simply because of a lack of a financial clout.   In the case of Medicine, an alternative route becoming popular to those that can afford it, is to seek study in Russia or one of the former Soviet Republics.  One such university, attracting many Indians wanting to do Medicine, is the Smolensk State Medical Academy in Russia.  I know of a relative from Goa studying there, now in her third year.

 

 

 

c) St Anthony’s Hospital & Research Centre

 

St Anthony’s is a 40-bed hospital facility, renowned for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug and alcohol addicted patients, in the main.  Based in the heart of the tourist belt in the north of Goa, in Vagator/Anjuna, a large number of its patients are European and foreign tourists.   This smart, sizeable hospital and research centre, which opened in 1983, has 22 Consultant Doctors, 6 Medical Officers, 42 Nurses, 3 Ambulance Drivers, 2 Cooks and 29 General Staff.   Jawaharlal’s elder son Noel, is a Cardiologist and his younger son Ian, is the Administrator of the hospital.

 

Jawaharlal is a devout, practising Christian.  What particularly impressed me during this research, was Jawaharlal’s medical philosophy of combining physical treatment with a spiritual touch.  He impresses upon patients subtly, that whatever healing they experience, they owe thanks to the Almighty.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                       

St.Anthony’s Hospital & Research Centre, Anjuna, Goa

 

Following article is by Tuukka Härkönen, Journalist from Finland

Working for “medicaltravelling.com” (Dated 02/08/2016)

“As a sidestep out of the ordinary integrative medicine clinic trials I thought I could pay a visit to probably the Goa‘s most famous clinic that has established international recognition in drug rehabilitation, Saint Anthony’s Hospital and Research Centre, a private 40-bed facility in Anjuna, Goa. In fact it is closer to Vagator than Anjuna, but it is not far from the beach bars that are gathering potential victims, first timer over dosers from young party goers and others more experienced addicts in Anjuna and it’s surroundings, place notoriously known for it’s dark side. Great majority, in fact almost all rehab patients are foreigners.

The clinic is run by charismatic and cordial character, Dr. Jawaharlal Henriques, a medical doctor with 37 years of experience. The settings are modest, but also necessary modern equipments are available at first aid dept. There I encountered couple of cases that were emotionally shattering as I had never been to such a place before.

One young guy from Greece was lying in bed in wires after heroine overdose. His friends saved his life taking him to the clinic after seeing his face turning blue. Once he was about to get up and go back to hotel, obviously still in confusional state of mind, Dr. Henriques told him he had to stay five days to be clear and asked him to give thanks to Jesus Christ for still being alive. It is touching to see professional people holding spiritual values when dealing with such cases and doing their duties on the service of greater purpose.

Another case was middle-aged German woman, longer term addict, hunched on the floor behind bars, with rice bowl in front of her as if being a beggar from ghettos of Mumbai with messy hair, blood stains on her face and absent mind. I followed when Dr. Henriques went to see her and escorted her downstairs for taking care of her wounds. After she was done accompanied by miserable wailing I heard behind the doors, she was brought back to her room on wheelchair properly plastered with bandage. I don’t know how long she was about to stay there.

One case was a gray haired British man, already long term client having had some problems with his feet due to extensive use of cannabis, according to the doctor. Although he himself denied that as root cause for the swelling and cut he had in his foot that was plastered all around. He stayed somewhere nearby and appeared out of the blue, limping, wearing only yellowish orange shorts as if just been woken up.

Dr. Henriques has case examples in store that go to such an extent which easily would suffice for a novel or a thriller. For example one case made him to be invited to see his recovered patient later in Italy. That was related to a man he found wandering on the side of the road in a neat suit late in the evening in the state of delirium. He stopped by and closer look revealed the man was close to death from heroin over dosing. From there on Dr. Henriques took care of him and saved his life. The man happened to be some middle level administrator bureaucrat in the ranks of our now so disliked European Union.

However, St. Anthony’s is not exclusively a drug rehab clinic and it can handle many other acute cases and small allopathic operations too. I saw two ambulances parked at the yard. Anyone is welcome to come and get allopathic treatment from minor cuts to other surgical operations. But don’t expect to get the typical Indian stuff that usually comes in form of various yoga, meditation, massage and ayurvedic practices. Instead he takes care of his patients almost by kind of fatherly love and down to earth empathy where you can feel the radiation of Christian underpinning but without Bible bashing or religion being pushed up on anyone.

Their pricing policy is therefore not in line with the profit focused private chain hospitals that can be found in too many numbers in the medical tourism industry. Everyone in serious need will be helped despite their formal fixed price of 15 days rehab program that comes at 3000 USD excluding flights.”

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                               

                                                                                                                       

Some certificates of Dr. Henriques

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                               

                                                                               

                                                                                                                        Backyard of St.Anthony’s Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                               

                                                                                                                       

Intensive Care Unit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                               

                                                                                                                       

One of the patient rooms

 

 

                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘50 YEAR REUNION’

 

Sacred Heart High School, Mombasa, Kenya ~ Class of 1964 

 

Held in December 2014, Goa, India.

 

 

Address by Dr Jawaharlal Henriques, Chairman of Organising Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Very Successful and Highly Enjoyable ‘1964~Class Reunion’

 

This 50-Year Reunion in Goa, saw a remarkable gathering of ex-students from Canada, UK, Australia, Kenya, Seychelles, India and Oman amongst others.   Among the guests of honour, were former teacher, Professor Suresh Amonkar (1956 to 1960) and ex-student Elham Al-Busaidi, the great-grand-daughter of the Patron of our school, the late Sir Ali bin Salim Albusaidi.   Elham is now based in Oman.

 

My research shows, that the idea of holding ‘Class Reunions’ is particularly trendy with ex-students of the ‘Sacred Heart High School’ generation, rather than the ‘Mombasa Goan School’ alumni.   This perhaps has to do with the younger generation being more adept and comfortable in the use of new technology, in comparison with their older ‘compatriots’, and thereby easily and instantly connected globally, social-media wise.   My research shows there has been a string of such ‘Class Reunions’, both in Canada and Goa in recent years, with the prime movers being the Canadians, in the main.   The idea of such gatherings seemed to have stemmed from the success of Canadian ex-students of Dr Ribeiro’s Goan School of Nairobi.  There has yet to be a reunion, embracing the whole Mombasa school to match, as theirs.  Organising any such reunion can be very demanding in terms of time commitment, detailed planning, communication, co-ordination and successful execution.  Jawaharlal’s Organising Committee need to be congratulated on this momentous and successful gathering of former staff and classmates in Goa ~ home of our grandfathers and fathers.  The insertion of “Goan” in “Mombasa Goan School” offers an unforgettable connection with our motherland, regardless of where we have made home currently.  Hence, such a Reunion, has a richly symbolic significance for members of our school.