Kediri Off The Beaten Path

4 more images

It is unusual that a plantation company runs a hospital. But this is the case in Pare, where the Handelsvereeniging Amsterdam established a hospital in 1908, which is now owned and operated by its successor, PT Perkebunan Nusantara X under the name of Rumah Sakit HVA Toeloengredjo.

The HVA (Trading Society Amsterdam) itself was founded in 1879. It exploited tea, rubber, tobacco, cassave and pepper plantations, but its main business was sugar. Before it was nationalized in 1958 the society produced 400,000 tons of sugar yearly in 17 sugar processing factories. The former head office of HVA is one of the most interesting historic buildings in Surabaya, dating from 1925.

The HVA hospital was established to serve HVA's employees in the sugar industry as well as the community in general, and does so until today. The original buildings are very well preserved and maintained, but of course the hospital has also been enlarged with newer buildings.

Mr Tjahjo, the administrator, welcomes foreign guests. We were invited to look around including the collection of medical specimens. Over the door of the maternity ward hangs a drawing of a stork. Although mr Tjahjo did not know its meaning he had refused to sell it to another visiting Dutchman. So he was very happy when we explained that in the Netherlands children used to be told that babies are brought by a stork.

Address: Jalan A. Yani # 25, Pare