While driving down to Hajiali after Shivtirth and opposite Heera Panna buildings we could see a marble façade building with Dr Vora’s Maternity & Gynaecological Hospital written on it. Over the years the marble façade has gone but the hospital exists. Started by a Doctor couple, Dr. Mohan Dipchand Vora and his wife Late Dr. Suvarna Mohan Vora in 1972, the hospital completed 50 years of existence. It is one of the few maternity hospitals in our neighbourhood.
Drs. Suvarna & Mohan Vora after their marriage and completing their M.B.B.S and D.G.O went to England where Dr. Mohan completed his M.R.C.O.G and F.C.P.S from Royal College in London. They were both there for 5 years after which they came back to India and started this hospital.
The property where the hospital stands belonged to the Maharaja of Kolhapur. Devchand Shah, father-in-law of Dr. Mohan Vora got the property from the Maharaja, and developed it into Paresh building which includes the hospital and residential flats.
The hospital was well planned by the Doctor couple. First Dr. Suvarna came down from England in 1971 and then a year later Dr. Mohan in 1972. They got some instruments from England, the quality of instruments those days was very good and some of them are still being used. The equipments for the hospital were supplied by Mr. Sudhir Shah of MSCO says Dr. Vora.
According to Dr. Vora, sonography services were not widely available in the 1970s. The patients tolerated labour pains. C-sections were not very safe those days, now with new technology it is safer. Dr. Vora is a big proponent of natural child birth.
When asked about the hospital completing 50 years of service, Dr. Mohan Vora said “It gives me immense happiness and satisfaction as an obstetrician as we dealt with two lives -the mother and baby.I have never left my patients unattended and gave utmost time to them. I have no regrets and my legacy is continued by my daughter who is a successful Obstetrician and Gynaecologist”.
What advice would he like to give this generation; Dr. Mohan says “Mothers should not immediately opt for an operative delivery as labour is a physiological process. Tolerance and patience during labour is important, and will help achieve a normal birth”.
Dr. Mohan Vora has two children, both of whom are doctors: Dr. Paresh Vora, an ophthalmologist, and Dr. Priya Vora Thakur, who now leads the hospital. Dr. Suvarna Vora passed away in 2015.
We wish Dr. Mohan Vora a long and healthy life and congratulate him on the hospital’s 50th year milestone!
(In the pics below Drs. Suvarna & Mohan Vora with children born in their hospital)
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