The Cama & Albless Hospital (originally just Cama Hospital) is a hospital for women and children in the city of Mumbai, India, with 367 beds.[1]
History
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The foundation stone was laid by H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught on 22 November 1883 and the building formally opened on 30 July 1886. The building was designed in Medieval Gothic style by Khan Bahadoor Muncherjee Cowasjee Murzban. The building is made from stone obtained from Porbander. Pestonjee Hormusjee Cama, is a Parsi philanthropist who contributed ₹100,000 (~₹43 crore in 2020) to its construction.[2] The staffing was provided through the Medical Women for India Fund.[3]
At the start, all appointments for doctors were temporary and revised after five years.[4]Edith Pechey, was the first female doctor to join the hospital. She was one of the original cohort of female medical students at the University of Edinburgh (1869). Pechey was the Senior Medical Officer at the hospital from 1886 to 1894. She was the driving force in the establishment of the nurses' training school attached to the hospital.[5] Pechey along with her husband, founded the Pechey-Pimpson Sanatorium for women and children at Nasik Road[6] in 1891.[5]
Charlotte Louisa Elleby, an ophthalmologist with an MD degree from Paris, joined Pechey. Elleby started the eye department in the hospital as well as successfully handled the large number of outpatients for eye-related treatments.[7]
Annette Benson was the head of the hospital for many years.[8]