‘I love you, Jamaica’

After 12 years of treating patients and organising medical camps and charity events in St Mary, Indian-born general practitioner Dr Nagendra Babu Chandolu says receiving the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service is not a just a culmination of his work, but an encouragement to do more. Chandolu, who operates three medical practices in St Mary, said he is planning to expand the services available at his facility in Annotto Bay, where 14 specialists work across several fields, including dentistry, cardiology, nephrology, urology, and radiology. He said the plans include opening an operating theatre to bring more medical services closer to residents who might otherwise have to travel for care.

“That’s why we decided to choose St Mary because everybody calls St Mary the poorest parish, but I feel that God sent me to this place,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Monday during the Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards. The doctor said his work has focused on improving access to healthcare while supporting education and other community needs. He credited his wife, Dr Alekya Daram Chandolu — an anaesthesiologist who works as a consultant at Port Maria Hospital — with sharing his commitment to service.

“Actually, in the medical field, I am a doctor because I come from a poor background. My father is a farmer, I know the value of education and health. That’s why I decided that in order to make a better society, we should help the people who are in need.

That’s what our motto is, [and] luckily, my wife has the same passion that we wanted to serve the community,” he said. Through Ashish Health Care and Ashish Community Health Organisation, the couple have organised medical camps, school health checks, donations of books and clothing, and assistance for older people and other vulnerable residents. Their work has also included improvements to school facilities and the distribution of care packages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chandolu said the work depended heavily on the support of volunteers and other people who shared their commitment to helping those in need. We concentrated on education and health. We have done so much infrastructure development for the schools and also some medical camps.

Our lifestyle is always giving back to society.