PONGCHAU, 22 Feb: As many as 1,073 residents of Pongchau village benefitted from a health camp organised at the helipad here on Sunday by the Longding District Health Society, in collaboration with the 24 Assam Rifles and the North East Foundation for Health Education and Livelihood Skills.
The camp was inaugurated by Tezu MLA Dr Mohesh Chai, who lauded the health department and the Assam Rifles for their “exemplary civil-military collaboration – one of its kind in Longding district.”
He emphasised how such initiatives strengthen public health resilience in remote areas.
The beneficiaries accessed a wide array of free, high-quality services, including specialist consultations in gynaecology, ENT, ophthalmology, general surgery, orthopaedics, general medicine, psychiatry, chest diseases (with a focus on TB), hand held X-ray for TB screening, and dentistry.
A cancer screening van was made available for screening various types of cancer, HIV and hepatitis, birth defects, adolescent health issues, and disability registration. On-site support included PMJAY/CMAAY enrolments, and distribution of free medicines and spectacles.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by MLA Honchun Ngandam, Joint Director of Health Services Dr Komling Perme, NHM Arunachal Pradesh Mission Director Marge Sora, ZPM Phephot Wangsu, 24 Assam Rifles RMO Captain Dr Jatin Chhikara, State TB Officer (NTEP) Dr PD Thonchi, and Longding DMO Dr Dilip Dutta. The Arunachal Pradesh Doctors’ Association, led by its general secretary Dr Kambak Tamar, also supported the health camp.
Sora commended the flawless multi-agency coordination that powered the camp. He spotlighted how specialist doctors, deputed from various districts, propel major Ayushman Bharat milestones- such as expanded NCD and TB screenings -while the NHM provides essential technical oversight and resources to ensure comprehensive coverage for remote beneficiaries.
The health camp aligned with the vision of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Health Minister Biyuram Wahge to provide healthcare delivery services to hard-to-reach and border areas such as Pongchau.
