Health

Army medical camp in Basantgarh examines about 1,000 patients on day one, eyes 2,000-plus total

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An Army medical camp at Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district examined about 1,000 patients on its first day, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said as he opened the two-day Army Mega Medical Speciality Camp, according to PIB on 18 October 2026. Another 1,000 to 1,500 patients were expected on day two, taking the projected total to about 2,000 to 2,500. The minister stressed early detection of preventable disease in remote areas.

Army medical camp: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at the Army Mega Medical Speciality Camp in Basantgarh
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at the Army Mega Medical Speciality Camp in Basantgarh Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

What the Army medical camp offered in Basantgarh

The camp was organised with the support of the Army’s Northern Command and the civil administration. It aimed to give specialist consultations to people in Basantgarh and nearby remote areas, where reaching a hospital can be difficult, the release said. Dr Jitendra Singh is Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office. Ramnagar MLA Dr Sunil Bhardwaj, Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Ananth Dwivedi and Chief Medical Officer Dr Anil Manhas attended along with Army officers and doctors. The minister said the camp’s experience should be written up in a feedback report with the district administration and health authorities. That report would list the disorders seen most often, especially those preventable through timely diagnosis, treatment and awareness, and could guide health surveys, future camps and targeted interventions.

Key Facts

  • Location: Basantgarh, Udhampur
  • Day-one patients: about 1,000
  • Projected two-day total: 2,000-2,500
  • Ophthalmology share: nearly 50% of cases
  • Support: Army Northern Command and civil administration

Nearly half the cases were eye-related, many cataracts

Referring to the cases examined, the minister said nearly 50 per cent were related to ophthalmology, and cataract made up a substantial share of them. Cataract is treatable, he said, and timely diagnosis and surgery can prevent avoidable blindness. He said the findings should help health officials plan regular eye screening, timely referrals and treatment for patients who need further care. Preventable loss of vision, he added, must be tackled through early intervention, particularly in remote areas where specialist consultations are hard to get. He said such an exercise would help authorities find gaps in health care and plan follow-up instead of limiting help to one-time interventions.

Patients and officials at the Basantgarh medical speciality camp
Patients and officials at the Basantgarh medical speciality camp Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

Referrals to Ramnagar, Udhampur and military hospitals

Until regular postings are made, Dr Jitendra Singh proposed weekly rotational visits by doctors to Basantgarh. He asked the Deputy Commissioner and the Chief Medical Officer to examine the arrangement and to set up a patient register to record cases, track medical needs and ease referrals. Depending on the condition, patients could be referred to hospitals in Ramnagar or Udhampur, while those needing advanced super-speciality treatment could be sent to a suitable military hospital, the release said. On the same visit, the minister held a public durbar in Basantgarh to hear local grievances.

Why It Matters: Speciality camps bring eye and other care to remote Udhampur villages where regular specialist visits are scarce.

Also on TrendDesh: MusQan certification push: JIPMER trains 100 nurses, releases child health SOP manual · Chennai rains: IMD says northeast monsoon wet spell will continue in Tamil Nadu till 23 October

Source: PIB Jammu and Kashmir, 18 Oct 2026 · PIB Jammu and Kashmir, Public Durbar, 18 Oct 2026

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