Srinagar, June 4: In a major healthcare outreach initiative aimed at supporting children suffering from congenital heart diseases, Principal and Dean of Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, Prof. (Dr.) Iffat Hassan Shah, on Thursday inaugurated a Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Screening Camp at Government Children Hospital, Bemina.
The camp was organized by Rotary Club Rajouri under its flagship “Gift of Life” project, led by Rtn K.K. Langer, National Coordinator of the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Shah lauded the efforts of Rotary Club Rajouri for selecting Government Children Hospital Bemina as the nodal centre for Kashmir and providing an opportunity for children from economically weaker sections to receive life-saving cardiac treatment free of cost.
She described the initiative as a “gift of hope and life” for families unable to afford expensive heart surgeries, adding that such humanitarian programmes have the potential to transform countless lives and secure a healthier future for children suffering from congenital heart ailments.
Speaking on the occasion, Rtn K.K. Langer announced that Rotary International, through the Gift of Life project, plans to facilitate 5,000 heart surgeries across the country this year, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to providing quality healthcare to underprivileged children.
Head of the Department of Paediatrics, Prof. (Dr.) Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, and Medical Superintendent of Government Children Hospital Bemina, Dr. Abdul Rashid Parra, also addressed the gathering and highlighted the significance of the screening camp for vulnerable and needy children across Kashmir.
The inaugural event witnessed the participation of parents and children affected by congenital heart diseases, doctors, healthcare workers, members of civil society, Rotary Club representatives, and social volunteers.
During the day-long screening programme, 80 children were examined, out of which 30 were shortlisted for major heart surgeries at Amrita Hospital, Kochi, Kerala. The surgeries will be conducted free of cost, with all arrangements being facilitated by Rotary Club Rajouri under the Gift of Life initiative.
The programme received extensive support from the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, headed by Dr. Jahangir Bakshi, and the National Health Mission (NHM), Jammu and Kashmir.
The proceedings of the event were conducted by Rtn Sadiq Khan.(KNC)
