50 needy patients selected for free replacements

Ludhiana : A mega charity event `Operation Walk 2011' was inaugurated at DMCH on Saturday. Padam Brij Mohan Lal Munjal, chairman Emeritus, DMCH managing society, inaugurated the event.Under this project, hip and knee replacements of more than 50 poor needy patients would be done for free. The patients have been selected from all over Punjab after extensive recruitment camps. This would be carried out in association with a team from the USA led by Dr Paul Khanuja, director, Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopaedics, USA. Operation Walk Maryland is a non-profit, volunteer medical service organisation providing free surgical treatment to patients in developing countries. DMCH managing society secretary Prem Kumar Gupta said patients would get all the services, latest imported implants and medicines totally free of cost under this project. He said: “A team consisting of about 45 people, including surgeons, anaesthesiologists, nursing staff, surgical technologists, physiotherapists and other supporting staff has reached DMCH and has brought with them equipments, implants and consumables to be used during this project.“ Dr Mohd Yamin, professor and head of orthopaedics said the patients would be operated with state of the art technology and equipments from the USA. He said the patients would also be given free walkers and post-operative information booklets.
Dr Deepak Jain, assistant professor of orthopaedics, who is coordinating the project, said preparations for this project have been going on for more than a year to make it a success.He said many young patients, who have lost their work due to disabling arthritis and are now dependent on their families, have been included in the project. This project would be carried out in newly renovated operation theaters and wards, which have been specially constructed with inputs from experts at USA. These operation theatres and wards have been equipped with the latest facilities and gadgets to make them at par with the international standards. Faculty from orthopedics department Dr Rajnish Garg, Dr Harpal S Selhi, Dr Sanjeev Mahajan, Dr Pankaj Mahindra and Dr SK Kohli made significant contributions to the project. During his visit to the hospital, Munjal also inaugurated newly renovated Neuro Ortho OT complex, Orthopedics ward, Pediatrics ward, Radio diagnosis block and emergency area, appreciating progress of the hospital. :--Rector Kathuria (Photo:Sukhjit Alkra)