Bringing healthcare closer to border

Healthcare in remote border areas is often shaped by geography, connectivity and availability of specialised services. For residents of such regions, accessing advanced medical treatment can mean travelling long distances, spending heavily and sometimes delaying care. The successful eye surgical camp at Tangdhar in Karnah highlights how targeted medical outreach can help bridge this gap. Under Operation Drishti, 220 patients reportedly had their sight restored through surgeries conducted in an underground operation theatre in a challenging border area. The achievement is significant not simply because of the number of beneficiaries, but because advanced procedures, including phacoemulsification, retinal and glaucoma surgeries, were taken to people living far from major healthcare centres. Such initiatives demonstrate the importance of bringing specialised healthcare to underserved communities rather than expecting vulnerable patients to overcome every geographical and financial barrier themselves. For border populations, access to quality healthcare is also an important component of a sense of inclusion and security. The role of the Armed Forces Medical Services deserves recognition in this context. Their presence in difficult and strategically sensitive areas gives them an opportunity to combine medical expertise with outreach to communities that may otherwise have limited access to specialised treatment. The camp, led by Brigadier Sanjay Kumar Mishra, is an example of that potential. At the same time, such camps should complement, rather than substitute, a strong civilian healthcare system. Sustainable access requires adequately staffed hospitals, functioning diagnostic facilities, specialist services and reliable referral mechanisms in remote areas. The broader lesson is clear, i.e. geography should not determine the quality of healthcare a citizen receives. Temporary medical camps can provide immediate relief, but their greatest value lies in identifying unmet needs and strengthening permanent healthcare networks. For Jammu and Kashmir’s remote and border communities, taking specialised medical services to the doorstep can make healthcare more accessible, timely and equitable.