India winds up field hospital in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

A field hospital set up by India in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka wound up operations after the successful completion of its mission, the Indian High Commission has said. As part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, a full-fledged para field hospital along with a 78-member Integrated Task Force of the Indian Army’s Shatrujeet Brigade was airlifted to Sri Lanka on December 2 and deployed at Mahiyanganaya, near Kandy, to meet urgent medical requirements, the mission said on Sunday. The facility catered to around 1,000 to 1,200 patients daily, it said, adding that the hospital provided critical lifesaving medical care, including trauma management surgeries.

“Over the course of its operation, the hospital achieved remarkable outcomes, treating a total of 7,176 patients, performing 513 minor procedures, and conducting 14 major surgeries, bringing relief and comfort to patients in one of the most affected areas,” the release said. Following the successful completion of its mission, the field hospital wound up operations in Mahiyanganaya, and the team returned to India on Sunday, the mission said. In addition to medical assistance, the Indian task force also restored critical communication links in the area last week.