Manali: A 30 member of team from Lady Willingdon Hospital Manali organised a rural medical camp at Killar in remote Pangi valley where 1204 patients were examined.
Dr Philip, head of Lady Willingdon Hospital (LWH), disclosed that for the camp a multi-speciality surgical operation theatre (OT) was set up where various types of surgeries were also conducted. Before conducting the surgeries, first the staff cleaned the entire OT, sterilized the equipments to have an infection free set up, said the doctor.
The camp team consisted of consultant doctors, eye surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, eye technicians, drivers, electricians and maintenance staff people were present in camp.
A total of 25 major, 25 minor general and 42 eye surgeries were performed. Patients who attended the camp were given free medicines and besides free laboratory services were provided.
“All the patients did very well, and we were able to discharge all of them by the third day of surgery,” he said.
To hold the camp the hospital staffed had brought the entire equipment, including operating lights, anaesthesia machine, generator, medicines and a huge autoclave with them for at a camp held earlier the autoclave equipment at Pangi proved troublesome.
Dr Philip said that at the remote high altitude place the phone network was not working and it was very difficult for the staff to communicate with each other. A back-up walkie talkie system came handy.
He added with the aim to spread awareness about the importance of regular health screening, the hospital conducts such camps every year, which includes holding dental and endoscopy check-up at the screening camps.
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
