Guwahati: The Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps on Saturday (May 4) organised a daylong training programme ‘Continuous Medical Education (CME)’ for the troops, paramedics and paramilitary forces serving in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang region.
The training programme, held at Senge village in the frontier state’s West Kameng district, aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the medical professionals in dealing with emergency situations arising due to adverse weather conditions and difficult terrains.
Medicos of the Indian Army shared their experiences in saving the lives of troops affected by altitude illnesses and unpredicted incidents due to adverse weather conditions at high altitudes.
Notably, high altitude adversely affects the human body and causes life-threatening problems to individuals working in such terrains across the globe.
The armed forces, paramilitary forces and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) often face vagaries of weather and terrain in the Tawang region and other places along India’s Northern borders.
Other than the Indian Army medicos, the programme was attended by medical professionals from the paramilitary forces and local civil administration.
Some important aspects of high-altitude illnesses discussed during the programme were acclimatisation procedures, physiological conditioning as case study, risk factors investigation on such illnesses, efficacy of traditional approach to treatment, and management of cold injuries.
Various maladies such as acute mountain sickness, High altitude cerebral edema (HACE), High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and High altitude retinal haemorrhages (HARH) were also discussed during the programme.
Apart from academic discussions and lectures, the event also included practical aspects such as demonstrations on preventive care.
Civil doctors and medical professionals from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) expressed their satisfaction at getting an opportunity to brush up their knowledge and exchange best practices with the Indian Army.
“I am thrilled to gain and share our experiences related to cold injuries and their management at this ground-breaking event on altitude illnesses that too in such a remote and isolated location,” a civil doctor of Tawang said.
The Indian Army’s field hospital at Senge, where the training programme was held, is the largest medical facility between the Jang valley and Dirang and caters to not only the army but also the locals and a large number of tourists who travel to Tawang throughout the year.