Tangdhar, J & K : The Indian Army conducted its 10th outreach mega surgical camp at 328 Field Hospital in Tangdhar, providing specialised eye care and cataract surgeries to residents of the border area, with 130 patients undergoing surgery.

An Army medical officer said the initiative was organised under the Army’s outreach programme in collaboration with Army Hospital Research and Referral, New Delhi, 92 Base Hospital Srinagar and 328 Field Hospital, Tangdhar.

A specialised team from Army Hospital Research and Referral travelled to Tangdhar with advanced medical equipment, with assistance from the Indian Air Force. The team also provided intraocular lenses to patients undergoing cataract surgery.

The officer said the camp was particularly significant for Tangdhar residents due to limited medical infrastructure in the border area. Several patients had been suffering from advanced cataracts that affected their ability to carry out routine activities.

He said the initiative reflected the Army’s humanitarian outreach and would be followed by similar medical camps in remote areas.

This is not the end. This is a beginning he said, adding that future programmes would be conducted through greater coordination between specialised Army hospitals and local medical teams.

The officer said Brigadier B B Rao and the team at 328 Field Hospital undertook the initial groundwork, while specialists from Army Hospital Research and Referral joined the programme for the expanded surgical intervention.

He said the underground operation theatre at the Tangdhar facility provided the infrastructure required to conduct surgeries on a large scale, adding that such a programme could not be effectively conducted in a temporary setup.

The Army said the initiative aims to take specialised healthcare services closer to people living in remote and border areas.