EARLY PERIOD

Samajam Hospital is the first Ayurveda Hospital . Beginning in 1902, Samajam started treatment in Ayurveda both as out-patients as well as in-patients.

The concept of an Ayurveda Hospital was unheard of till the Zamorin of Calicut gave shape and form to Samajam Chikitsalayam, Chikitsalayam meaning where one gets treatment. Samajam was the first ever Ayurveda Hospital to the public. With the Samajam Hospital, and also with its no profit character as a Charitable institution the Zamorin was regarded as the saviour of the poor. This step of Zamorin was considered as one of the major steps in the progress of Ayurveda itself as it gave ample time to the physicians to get an exposure to various kinds of diseases. Till then the Vaidya, the physician, used to visit the patient. This gave little time for the physician to treat more patients as travel alone took a lot of time. Moreover, only the Kings, Dukes, Landlords and the rich got medical care. Zamorin wanted medical and health care to be given to everyone in his practice. Thus the idea of a Public Hospital with OP and IP. The practice of the Vaidya going to the patient thus was changed and got a reverse order with the patient visiting the Vaidya.

The underlying thread of charity with a proportionate ratio of the wisdom of the legendary physicians, the experience and knowledge of the traditional physicians and also the inherent quality to conceive the contemporary Samajam still remains head and shoulders above the rest. The quality of medicines , both traditional as well as proprietary, thus have made Samajam cut an edge over others: not for a few days, or months or years, but for over a century.