I really feel proud that Army Medical Corps, since its inception, has been doing extremely well in providing medicare to the three Services not only during peace time but also during military operations either at home or abroad.

I think all three Services pose some challenges for us such as providing underwater medicine to naval men and aerospace medicine to the high speed jet fighters in the Air Force. Quantum wise, Army poses the greatest challenge as it constitutes 85 per cent of forces and most of its troops have been deployed in high altitude and jungle areas and other difficult terrains.

Today, AFMS has become the number one choice for good doctors because most of our hospitals are second to none in the country. We provide opportunities to doctors to learn and practise modern medicine and to use modern gadgets. So, our doctors are well motivated to join AFMS.

I think the compensation package we are offering to AFMS doctors is really good. Definitely, it is better than that of civilian doctors. Let me tell you one thing, a doctor’s profession can not be compared with the salary. I think it is the profession which takes precedence over the salary.

We advertise our posts in which we give all details about the career prospects, pay and perks, training opportunities etc. We find good response whenever we advertise posts. In fact, recently we received 2000 applications for 100 seats. There is no dearth of awareness among the aspirants about the pay package.

Most of our doctors are getting on-job experience in managing trauma cases. Doctors who are posted in Jammu and Kashmir and other forward areas are successfully handling trauma cases like mine blasts and gun-shot wounds. Over the years, we have built in-house expertise in management of trauma. Therefore, we have our own data on trauma which is helping to train our doctors. All necessary medical equipments are being provided to field ambulances and technical support platoons for handling trauma cases. In case the patient is not able to come to the medical centre, the medical team goes wherever he is to give life-saving treatment. Sophisticated stretchers have been given to shift a trauma patient to sub-centres. All efforts are being taken to ensure that the trauma patient receives treatment within one hour which we call ‘golden hour’.

We have started a programme in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which provides us with all wherewithal to make available of specialists to the peripheral centres. We have recently connected Army Hospital with Command Hospital in the western command, 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, and one of the hospitals in Siachen. This is our first phase. Very soon we would connect all Command Hospitals with zonal and field hospitals in the forward areas.

It is manifestation of mental agony of troops who are deployed far away from their families. Recently, we have sent a team of psychiatrists and psychologists to various units in the northwestern sectors and Jammu and Kashmir to counsel troops. The team spent six weeks there, counselling the men-in-uniform and suggesting suitable remedies. We also asked unit commanders to provide genuine welfare to the troops. If they do that, I think these sorts of incidents will not occur.

We are one of the leading centres in the world in developing underwater and aerospace medicine. We have Institute of Underwater Medicine in Mumbai and Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Bangalore which have been doing original research in these fields. Recently I attended one seminar on aerospace medicine in Bangalore. The seminar saw the participation of delegates from foreign countries including USA. The papers and the research data submitted by our doctors were well appreciated. That speaks volumes about the progress of these specialised branches of medicine in the Armed Forces. We have enough specialists in the these fields. These two institutes provide training to postgraduate doctors.

All medical problems related to NBC warfare are important for us. We have made concerted efforts to ensure that people know about this warfare and the methods to tackle it in case of its eventuality. The doctors are being trained in this area and we have resources to tackle it, if it surfaces. We have indigenous equipment to use against NBC agents and wherever it is necessary, we are importing the necessary equipment.

I think alternative medicine has been here to stay. We have plans to introduce alternative medicine department in all OPDs. On a trial basis, we would start this facility at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt and, after seeing the response from the clientele, we will think about introducing it at other places.

Our doctors are motivated to write research papers, attend conferences and workshops both at home and abroad. Our CME programme has been enabling them to update their knowledge from time to time. During last year we conducted over 500 programmes in different hospitals in the country under CME. We are inviting specialists from civilian hospitals and foreign countries to exchange ideas and expertise on different subjects.

We have been giving lot of importance to hospital waste management. Our initiatives at Air Force Hospital, Bangalore have been appreciated by all including the World Health Organisation (WHO). We have provided state-of-the-art hospital waste management equipment to most of our hospitals. Some hospitals are in the process of procuring it. I hope that by next year, all our hospitals will not only be equipped with waste management equipment but will also able to use it in an effective manner.