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This was established in the year 1890 as an Asylum at Neyyoor for the protection and care of some helpless victims of leprosy. The initiative was taken by the Foreign Medical Missionary
Dr. Sargood Fry in the year 1887. He, while on his routine tour of the district, was moved by 9 men with leprosy who followed him for a long distance for want of help and protection. He immediately wrote to Mission to Lepers in England about the plight of these victims. Prompt was the action and the London Committee, after deciding to erect a Ward, made a fervent appeal. Mrs. Charles Pease of Ireland was the first person to come out with £250 towards the fund, and hence the hospital has been rightly named as Charles Pease Memorial Leprosy Hospital. With this encouragement, plans were made to establish a Leprosy Asylum. Ever since then, except for a break of some years prior to 1932, the orphanage has continued to provide a home for destitute children with a history of leprosy in the family.
As the input of patients increased day by day, it was shifted to the present place at Udayarvilai, Colachel, extending over nine acres amidst tough protest from local people in the year 1930. London Missionary Society has provided funds for the purchase of the land and also it was ably supported by the Oxfam-England, War on Want-England, Mission to Lepers (presently named as Leprosy Mission) and the Government of India. The services of Dr.T.H. Somervell and Mr.E.A. Harlow are to be remembered with gratitude. Mr.E.A. Harlow made a well - laid - out plan for a Chapel, in the middle of the hospital which was later dedicated to the Glory of God by Rev. Sinclair in 1936. The Chapel was recently beautifully renovated.
Dr. P.J. Cornelius, one of the Medical Evangelists trained in Neyyoor, took charge of the Home from 1893 to 1917 and to him goes the credit of being the first doctor, to minister these people. He served from 1893 to 1917, when there were no proper medicines to treat leprosy. His loving service comforted the patients mentally, physically and spiritually. To applaud his services, a renovated Dr.P.J. Cornelius Home for Women was inaugurated by Mr.T.J. Bhaskaran Richard, M.A., M.Com., D.H.A., Regional Superintendant of the Leprosy Mission on 8-11-1996 in the presence of Bishop Rt. Rev.
G. Christdhas M.A., B.D. DR. Cornelius is remembered with thanks and gratitude for his dedicated service among leprosy patients and in apprecation of his selfless service a home for the children of leprosy patients was started and is now run with the help of CCCYC.
He was succeeded by Dr. G.M. Samuel, Dr. M.W. Samuel, Mr. E.A. Harlow, Dr.Y. Abraham, Dr. D. Christdhas, Dr. Percy, Dr. Prem Kumar, Dr. Suresh, Dr. Vinod Winston, Dr. Alexis Joy and Dr.N.V. Johnson. It was during the tenure of Dr. Alexis Joy, M.D., D.D., D.Lep. the Multidrug Therapy was started in our hospital on 31-1-1987.
There are presently 5 male wards and 2 female wards with an average inpatient strength of 75 all the time. Patients suffering from leprosy and the complications due to leprosy are admitted and treated free of cost with free food, accommodation and clothing irrespective of caste creed or religion. There are 12 staff working in this hospital. Church worker of Udayarvilai church and our Chaplain help them in their spiritual needs.
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