Kargil war hero’s kin set up hospital in his memory

The family of Captain Saurabh Kalia, who was killed in the Kargil war, has built a multi-specialty hospital at Dadh, around 15 kilometers from Dharamshala, in memory of the fallen solider.

The hospital, Capt Saurabh Kalia Memorial Kaydee Hospital, was inaugurated on Friday. The family collaborated with Dr Vivek Gautam, whose father was also an officer in the Indian Army, to set up the hospital.

Captain Kalia’s father, NK Kalia, said the hospital will cater to the needs of villages within a radius of 10-12 kilometers of the Chamunda Shrine.

People in the area have to go to Palampur, Dharmshala, Kangra or Tanda Medical College in case of an emergency. The hospital aims to provide affordable treatment at par with quality standards. The medical team will be headed by Dr Vivek Gautam.

“Initially, the out patient department (OPD) and facilities such as general and laparoscopic surgery and urology OPD, along with radiology services, including ultrasound and x-ray, have been made functional. A basic well-equipped medium-level laboratory and 24-hour emergency services are also available,” said NK Kalia

To provide holistic care and promote the traditional and scientific Indian system of medicine, a full-fledged ayurveda and panchkarma unit has also been set up. There are 18 inpatient beds and inclusive special private Rooms for post-operative care.

Gradually, more services will be added with focus on orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatrics, apart from upgrading the diagnostic facilities such as, CT Scan and mammography. The number of in-patient beds will also be increased, he said, adding that they intended to add super-specialty services such as neurosurgery and cardiology at the later stages.