Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes gave away the Raksha Mantri’s Running Trophy for the best command hospital to Command Hospital, Northern Command in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Fernandes lauded the selfless service rendered by service hospitals in providing advanced medical treatment to the personnel of Armed Forces. The Minister further added that the functioning of these hospitals during disaster management is a testimony to their efficiency.

Earlier addressing the function, the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, Lt Gen Shahi stated that medical units were being trained to tackle nuclear, biological and chemical warfare threats. He further said that a seventyfive bed hospital was set up just below the Siachen Glacier (Mac Hunder) which houses state-of-the-art decompression chamber, central heating, a large operation theatre and an advance medical ward catering to the needs of the troops as well as local public. The hospital was constructed in just five months, he added.

The Raksha Mantri’s Running Trophy for the best command hospital carries a cash award of two lakh. This trophy was instituted in 1989 by Mr KC Pant, the then Defence Minister. The award is given in recognition of the efforts made by the respective hospitals in providing effective care to the patients and also to motivate them to further improve the functioning.