St. Stephen's Hospital was opened on the 31st October, 1885 as the first hospital for women and children in Delhi. It blossomed from the pioneering field work started earlier by a non-medical English missionary,  Mrs. Priscilla  Winter  and a group of dedicated women who joined her later on. Born out of love and concern for the underprivileged, St. Stephen's Hospital has passed  through  various stages in its need-based growth under the stewardship of a long chain of committed and  dedicated   ladies  who  worked   with missionary zeal. Starting  as  a  solitary figure distributing medicines on the banks of river Yamuna (1864), the institution grew into a tiny dispensary in a rented house (1874), a 40 bed women and children hospital at Chandni Chowk (1885), a 100 bed hospital at Tis Hazari (1909), a 375 bed  general  hospital (1976), to reach its present status as a renowned 450 bed modern hospital well equipped to handle   practically all  the health  needs  of  the community with all specialities.

St. Stephen's, apart from being the first Zanana hospital was  also the first to start pre-natal and well-baby clinics. It was the first to be recognised for post­partum programme by the Government and the first to start a Nursing Training School.

The philosophy of Service and compassion that has been the motivating force of this institution throughout its history has now become a way of life in St. Stephen's which has a high standard of personal patient care.

The hospital has championed the cause of service to the economically weaker section of society by  having the highest percentage of beds  (75%)  in  the  general ward. In  the  general  ward  the  treatment is subsidised and the very poor are treated free of cost. This concept has also made the hospital reach out to the resettlement colonies across the Yamuna w here it has established a Community Health Care Centre, as its base for the integrated Community Health Programme.

St. Stephen's Hospital enters its second century with the challenging task of implementing a major   development programme to upgrade its services to meet  the growing needs of the community. The Hospital's motto is "In Jove serve one another".

Smt. Indira Gandhi in a message sent on the 17th September, 1984 wrote : "St. Stephen's Hospital   has   become a part of the lives of the people of Delhi. It has shared  their joys and sorrows for a century. As the first hospital  for  women and children in this city it was a pioneer in bringing benefits to sections of society which were otherwise neglected. The Social Welfare Programmes of the Hospital and its  continuing  concern  for the  poor  give  it  a  special  status.

My good wishes to St. Stephen's Hospital for the celebration of its centenary. Its history is a tribute  to the memory of the great human being after whom it is named.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India