The Indian Army Romeo Force medical camp held in the Surankote area of Poonch district brought essential healthcare services directly to local residents living in one of the district’s more remote and hilly belts. The initiative saw Army doctors and medical staff travel to villagers who often face significant hurdles in reaching formal healthcare facilities due to difficult terrain.
The Indian Army Romeo Force medical camp forms part of the Army’s long-running civic action programme, Operation Sadbhavna, under which military doctors and paramedical teams regularly travel to far-flung villages across the Pir Panjal range to deliver free treatment, consultations and medicines at residents’ doorsteps.
Bridging the Healthcare Gap in Surankote
Surankote, like much of rural Poonch, sits in rugged, mountainous terrain where access to district hospitals and specialist care remains limited, particularly for elderly residents, women and children. For many families in the area, a visit to the nearest civil hospital can mean hours of travel over difficult roads — a journey made harder during the monsoon and winter months.
The Indian Army Romeo Force medical camp sought to ease that burden, with Army doctors conducting general health check-ups, distributing free medicines, and offering consultations for common seasonal ailments. Such camps typically bring together general physicians alongside specialists such as eye and dental doctors, allowing residents to access a range of services in a single visit rather than travelling separately for each concern.
Local residents have consistently welcomed such initiatives in the past, with many describing the doorstep delivery of healthcare as a significant relief given the challenges of terrain, distance and cost that otherwise stand between them and basic medical attention.
Part of a Wider Outreach Effort by Romeo Force
The Surankote camp adds to a series of similar initiatives carried out by the Romeo Force across Poonch and neighbouring border districts in recent months, including camps in villages such as Salani, Arai and Mangnar. In several of these camps, the Army has also extended services to livestock, recognising the central role animals play in the livelihoods of border communities, by organising joint medical-cum-veterinary drives alongside human healthcare services.
Beyond immediate medical relief, the Indian Army Romeo Force medical camp is widely seen as an important part of the Army’s broader effort to build trust and goodwill in remote, sensitive border areas. Officials have noted that such outreach helps strengthen the relationship between security forces and local populations, particularly in regions where the Army maintains a significant operational presence.
Doctors, Medicines and Doorstep Care
At the camp, patients of all age groups — from young children to elderly residents — were examined and provided free medication on the spot. Medical teams paid particular attention to seasonal illnesses common in the region, along with routine health screenings that many villagers are otherwise unable to access regularly.
For residents of Surankote, the presence of qualified doctors within their own village meant they did not have to bear the cost or difficulty of travelling to Poonch town or further afield for basic treatment. Many locals expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that such camps make a tangible difference to households where medical expenses and travel time are genuine burdens.
