Patricia Bennett (medical missionary)

Patricia 'Pat' Bennett was a British nurse, midwife, and medical missionary who was affiliated with the Church Missionary Society (CMS), who led the Bollobhpur Hospital in Kushtia District, West Bangladesh during the 1960s and into the mid-1970s. She became a prolific writer for CMS describing medical conditions in the remote area of the Bollobhpur Hospital.

Early Life, Missionary Calling, and Training

Bennett was from Clifton, Bristol, England. Her mother served as secretary to the Church Missionary Society. Bennett studied general nursing and then midwifery at the Bristol Royal Hospital and qualified for registration as a nurse by examination on 26 November 1948. She continued working at Bristol Royal Hospital when she identified a calling to serve as a missionary. When Florence Priest visited Bristol and spoke about the mission in Bollobhpur, she joined the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society in 1953. Bennett received training as to be a missionary at St. Michael's Oxford for one year before going to India.

Mission in Bangladesh

Pat Bennett on the daily ward round at Bollobhpur hospital

Bennett provided medical services for the people of Bangladesh before and after the Bangladesh Liberation War (1971). During the war, she had to leave the Bollobhpur Hospital and was evacuated to serve in the Oxford Mission in Barisal. Across her various stations, her roles included supporting orphans, training young nurses, Providing preventative care for the community, overseeing outpatient and maternity services. She documented her work and the post-war conditions in Bangladesh in CMS publications.

Leadership at the Bollobhpur Hospital

Bennett arrived to Bangladesh in 1954, initially in Calcutta for language study and then to Bollobhpur. She worked along Pat Nickson, MBE and Florence Priest and a small team. Bennett led the Bollobhpur Hospital, with no physician or mission administrator available, which often had a double the number of patients as beds and served a larger area after the closure of Karpash Danga Hospital. The hospital was founded in the late 1800 by German Lutherans to serve Women and children only. The hospital was known as very remote and required a plane, ricksha, car, and boat ferry to travel to it. During Bennett's service, it expanded and included male inpatient wards. The hospital also oversaw the Mehurpur and Kapashdanga branch hospitals and dispensaries. In 1968, Bennett oversaw the electrification of the hospital. In 1970 she supervised the building of a new hospital at Mehurpur.

During her service, she highlighted the importance of preventive care and introduced antenatal, family planning, and home visits. She oversaw the administration of tetanus vaccines to ante-natal clinic patients in order to protect pregnant women and their unborn children.  She also trained young nurses to support the senior staff during periods of under-staffing.

In 1966, she also became Nursing Superintendent in Rajshahi when no nursing staff were available there.

In 1978, she had to leave the hospital to return to England to care for her ailing mother.

Bangladesh Liberation War

During the Bengali (Bangladesh) Liberation War, CMS evacuated the Bollobhpur Hospital across the border to India. Initially Bennett was on furlough and while the patients and orphans from the hospital and orphanage were evacuated on foot, she flew into India. They were part of the six million people that were displaced and specifically served a refugee camp of 70,000.

Perspective of Bangladesh's struggles

Documentations from the Church Missionary Society highlights the economic and social challenges in Bangladesh following the Liberation War. Infrastructure damage, including damaged roads, bridges, and remains of Pakistani army trucks dusting at the roadside was widely visible. There were widespread shortages and high prices of basic essentials made across the nation, despite the governments attempts to keep prices down, issues such as market malpractices persisted.  Many families faced difficulties in providing food, clothing, and education for their children. She documented the emotional impact of the war, noting the grief and guilt experienced by the population. Bennett emphasizes the importance of continued support through prayers and resources.

Faith and community support

Bennett's Christian faith informed her approach to patient care, hospital, and resource management during this difficult time alongside her staff. She noted the importance of the support from relief organizations helped maintain the hospital. CMS reports emphasize the active collaboration efforts of a supportive team, medical missionaries, and relief organizations.

Publications

Legacy

Bennett's work represents the efforts of nurses and women missionaries post-war in Bangladesh. By providing medical care and support to the local population, her roles additionally highlights the importance of community effort, healthcare provisions, and training of local staff. Her letters document a significant piece of early history and humanity of the recovery of Bangladesh post war.