Further to message from Prof. Sahasanu Panjwani of the Mokoena

[Guest guest]

In response to earlier email exchanges with Prof

Panjwani of Mokoena. The following message was

received from Ramakrishna Centre South Africa.

It is wonderful to see the vision of Swami Vivekananda

turning into reality in such a sincere and focused manner.

No doubt, much more is yet to manifest; all this will happen

by the grace of our mentors.........jay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7 March 2002

 

Mr Jay Lakhani

Vivekananda Centre

London

 

Our dear Jay

 

Accept my greetings and best wishes. Pray that you are doing well.

Thank you for keeping me on the List.

 

This is in response to Prof. Sahasanu Panjwani of the Mokoena

Infectious Diseases Hospital, Mpumalanga, Kwa Zulu-Natal,

South Africa. We wish to state the following:

 

The Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa has a Medical Wing

called the Ramakrishna Clinic of South Africa. The Clinic which

was formally started in 1959 is registered with the Department

of Welfare, Pretoria.

 

The Clinic has a professional voluntary medical staff of approximately

twenty doctors (mostly consultants in internal medicine) and a

large number of paramedical personnel. We also have among

the devotees professional Health Educators and Counsellors.

 

Our Clinic realized the seriousness of HIV/AIDS in South Africa

as early as 1989. Since that time it has been actively involved in

AIDS education and care of terminally ill patients. On sponsorship

we have printed a large quantity of literature on HIV/AIDS in English

and Zulu. This was and continues to be distributed widely in Kwa

Zulu-Natal. Furthermore, one of our officials is a professional Health

Educator/ AIDS Counsellor. Over the years he has visited and

provided relevant information and literature to a large number of

schools, welfare organizations, Church groups, etc. He has used

effective audio-visual material (in English and Zulu) and has

counselled a large number of people.

 

Regarding religious counselling for terminally ill Hindus we

have useful material that we have been using with satisfactory

results. From time to time we hosted workshops to impart these

skills to doctors, nurses, care-givers, etc. These workshops have

been very successful.

 

This year our Centre completed the buildings for a Children’s

Orphanage. We have 50 Black children in this orphanage, most

of them being HIV positive. We are giving them our sustained support.

 

Our consultants are visiting outlying Hospitals where there is little or

no specialist services. In all these rural Hospitals we encounter a

60% bed-occupancy of HIV/AIDS patients. We have served them

as Swami Vivekananda would have wanted us to.

 

The Ministry of Health is aware of our services. They have

acknowledged and encouraged us in every possible way.

 

Trust that this information suffices for the time being. We are busy

with preparations for our Diamond Jubilee Celebrations which falls

in May this year. Revered Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj is

coming as our Chief Guest. We shall send you the invitation/

programme shortly.

 

Yours affectionately

Swami Saradananda

Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa

7 March 2002