Mateshwari Charitable Dispensary
History of the Dispensary
From the start in 2004 till today in 2025
Since 2004, each year, a team from the association has travelled to India to assess and fulfil the needs, namely:
Regarding material support, the construction of the dispensary, its expansion, and the conversion of the premises were necessary to meet the needs of the local population.
Shaping medical practice, including medicines and healthcare personnel: doctors, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, laboratory technicians, nurses, and ambulance drivers.
Various administrative procedures, such as opening a bank account, appointing a local accountant, applying to the government for authorisation to transfer foreign donations (FCRA), meeting with local hospitals, and specifically consulting surgeons and oncologists to take charge of the dispensary’s patients who may require this type of care.
In 2004
A first trip was organised to India with a small team from Marseille:
Yves Paugam (chartered accountant), Françoise Paugam (secretary), Pascaline Chaix (a friend of Sophie Rombaut), Ghislaine Grimaldi (president and friend of Sophie) and Jérémie Rombaut (son of Sophie Rombaut).
Establishing contact
Contact was made with our Indian partners at SHRI GITA ASHRAM, where Sophie Rombaut was a member, and on whose land the dispensary initially built for leprosy patients was left abandoned due to a lack of funds.
Signing of an official agreement
An official agreement was signed with the Ashram’s management, clearly establishing the Dispensary’s financial autonomy, which will be entirely overseen by the association.
Ground survey
Assessment of the renovation and extension work needed on the existing building, opening a bank account, and establishing contact with the local hospital in towns, including surgeons and oncologists.
The 2nd semester of 2005
completion of the existing dispensary building renovation and extension work,
This construction work was financed by an exceptional donation from a member.
New Dispensary building
In 2006
Construction of the “Mateshwari Sophie General Hospital” is complete. Remains the fit-out, the official inauguration, and to start the activity
A second trip to India was organised with a team from Marseille:
Mr Pierre and Mrs Monique IPPOLITO, Mr Yves and Mrs Françoise PAUGAM, Mr Georges and Mrs Marie-Andrée GEESSELS, Mrs Ghislaine GRIMALDI, Mr Jérémie ROMBAUT, Mrs Béatrice SOMVILLE, Sophie M.
The team, fully active on the ground — some for three weeks and others for two — cleaned, arranged all the furniture (which arrived from Marseille in a container thanks to a donation from the “Nid St-Georges” retirement home and the support of the “Hôpital-assistance” organisation), organised the entire pharmacy, and finalised the remaining administrative procedures.
29th January 2026: Inaugural speech for the Dispensary and unveiling a plaque
in memory of Sophie.
The dispensary activities start the next day itself
In 2008
A third trip to India is organised, with a small team from Marseille and Charente.
Yves et Françoise Paugam, Marie-Andrée et Georges Geessels, Ghislaine Grimaldi, Marie-Hélène Ducongé et Jérémie Rombaut.
The dispensary continues to expand, adding healthcare staff and medical services, including a testing laboratory, physiotherapy practice, inpatient ward, pharmacy, and dressing room. Meanwhile, regular mobile clinics have been established to provide care to the most disadvantaged populations living in villages and slums around Rishikesh.
Delivery room with the first birth at the Dispensary
Creation of the first mobile clinic “camps” outside the Dispensary (2008)
From 2009 to 2015
The Association organises one trip each year.
The dispensary is operating at full capacity thanks to a dedicated medical team: a General Physician (also the medical superintendent) overseeing the dispensary, another General Physician overseeing the camps, a gynaecologist, a laboratory technician, five nurses, an ambulance driver, and a manager.
In 2012, a significant milestone: a “charter” was drafted.
It was summarised into 13 rules that clearly define each person’s role in medical, legal, ethical, and administrative matters. This charter was given to Dr Deo Brat Singh and approved by him.
In 2015
On 1 May, the dispensary was moved to Sophie’s house in Rishikesh, in the Muni Ki Reti area, near the slums.
Inauguration of the Dispensary.
The Mateshwari Charitable Dispensary the day of the inauguration, with the entire medical team
In 2016
This trip was significant because we had the pleasure of attending the wedding of Marie Rombaut and Shailendra Rampal in Rishikesh. The Association Jivan team from Switzerland, responsible for the schools in Delhi, with its president, Mrs Anita BULA, and her three children; the Marseille team with Nicole Lemaitre, Bernadette Chaussin, Ghislaine Grimaldi, Jérémie Rombaut; and the Var region team with Mr and Mrs Geessels, all gathered for the occasion.
This year, we also:
- Obtained the FCRA renewal
- Established a dental practice
- Increased the frequency of camps thanks to a dedicated General Physician for the camps, Dr S.P. SINGH,
In 2018
Retirement of the General Physician, Dr DEO BRAT
Dr Deo Brat had been in the role as Medical Superintendent since 2010. The teams from Marseille, Charente and Var are present. The dispensary is operating at full capacity.
In 2019,
A New General Physician, Dr Puneet Singh, has been appointed as medical superintendent, and a new Administrator, Mr Paul Thomas, has been appointed to replace Mr Sushil Gaur (who had held this position since 2004).
Gautam is on-site at the dispensary as Coordinator and Manager (in the role since 2004).
In 2020
The year of COVID (no travel)
Care continued to be dispensed daily at the dispensary. The camps were temporarily cancelled. We diligently followed all the recommendations of the Indian government.
We organised the distribution of protective masks, hygiene products, and food in the slums of Rishikesh and in the area around the school in Delhi.
In 2021
No travel.
The Dispensary is currently operating at reduced capacity. The camps have not yet resumed.
Yves Paugam, our chartered accountant, has passed away. He has left a significant void.
He played a crucial role in establishing accounting standards. He consistently ensured the smooth financial management of the Dispensary, in close collaboration with our current accountant, Mr René BARONI, in recent years. His wife, Françoise, had already passed away in 2014.
In 2022
General medicine consultations are provided on Sundays by Dr Yogesh AHUJA and during the week by a newly appointed physician, Dr Yuvraj SINGH.
All other medical services continue to operate:
(the laboratory, dentist, physiotherapy practice, gynaecology practice, and pharmacy).
The FCRA, which authorises the transfer of donations from abroad, has been suspended by the government for several humanitarian organisations, including Mother Teresa’s. Consequently, we have had to reduce our activities until we receive authorisation to resume normal fund transfers. As a result, we have decided not to restart the camps and will operate only from the dispensary.
Dr S.P. Singh, the doctor for the camps who had been with us since the beginning of the adventure, retired at the age of 82, as did Laxmi Kutti, the nurse who had also been with us since the beginning, also at the age of 82.
A small celebration was organised in the dispensary’s courtyard for the occasion, attended by the entire Medical Team and Jérémie and Marie Rombaut.
In 2023
We have some very good news:
After a year of administrative procedures carried out by Jérémie ROMBAUT and a solicitor, we obtained the FCRA again on 25 September 2023. Securing the FCRA will enable us to resume full operations at the dispensary and, most importantly, resume camp activities. (As a reminder, the FCRA permits us to make transfers from France to India).
Medical consultations with the General Physician are provided by the new doctor, Dr Mohanta HRUDANANDA, and on Sundays by Dr Yogesh AHUJA.
All other consultations continue to be provided as usual:
gynaecology, physiotherapy, pharmacy, laboratory, nursing, dentistry.
In 2024
The Dispensary is once again operating at full capacity
The Dispensary is once again operating at full capacity
- All consultations are available: general physicians, dentists, laboratory technicians, physiotherapists, nurses, pharmacists, and gynaecologists.
- There are two camps each week run by Dr HRUDANANDA (on Thursdays, when the clinic is closed, and on Sundays). We are currently seeking another general practitioner to staff the camps at least four times a week.
- Expansion of premises: to accommodate the large number of patients during the monsoon season and to increase the capacity of the physiotherapy room.
In 2025
The dispensary is operating at full capacity. All services are provided.
A new gynaecologist, Dr Shrivastav, has taken over. She replaced Dr Vandana Rajput, who retired and had been working at the dispensary since it opened in 2006.
Our dispensary’s presence in these slums allows us to offer direct support to the most vulnerable populations, who are also the most disadvantaged.
Our work aims to provide them with a reassuring presence, a sympathetic ear, and free, high-quality care with dignity.
May this support bring hope and give those in need the courage to overcome daily hardships.