Landour Community Hospital

I am not an expert on the health care system in the US, but I do know that it is surrounded by much controversy.  It was mainly this controversy, primarily over health insurance and bureaucracy, which contributed to my amazement with my first encounter with the medical system in India.

Last week I became one of many who have become sick while staying in Mussoorie—not surprising considering the high altitude, cold temperatures, and monsoon rains.  If it had been up to me, I would have likely stocked up on Dayquil and Nyquil and let my head cold run its course.  But when my husband woke me from one of my marathon naps and told me to get ready and that the taxi was coming, I did not have much of a choice but to go along.

Landour Community Hospital, Mussoorie

We ended up going to Landour Community Hospital, a missionary hospital here in Mussoorie.  I was a bit skeptical of going to the hospital for a head cold, but I was absolutely amazed at the efficiency and affordability of this place.  For 200 rupees (about USD $4.49) I was able to see a doctor.  At most I waited about 15 minutes to see her.  It wouldn't even have taken that long had there not been some other emergency she was attending to.  Mind you, this was all without scheduling an appointment ahead of time.  Shortly after taking my blood pressure and listening to my breathing, I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and given two prescriptions: one for an antihistamine, and one for Vitamin C.

We then walked to another counter in the same building and paid 14 rupees (USD $0.31) for three days-worth of medicine.  (Here we also found out that I was charged 200 rupees for my first-time visit because I was a foreigner; Indian nationals are charged only 50 rupees.)  The final counter was that of the pharmacy, where we collected our medicines and then returned to our guest house.  For once it cost more to travel to the doctor than it did to actually see her.

India might be notorious for bureaucracy and chaos, but they certainly seem to have their health care system down pat.