Nonambulatory veteran soldiers provided wheelchairs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 10 2020: The members of AFESAM (Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Association Manipur) said that two of its veteran soldiers who are in non ambulatory state due to physical challenges have been assisted with two manual self-propelled, folding wheelchairs, through the office of its Healthcare Polyclinic based at Imphal.

The first veteran is Havildar Ibungo (name changed), with physical challenges due to cerebrovascular accident.

He is walking with the support of two people.

The second veteran is Havildar Md Alamgir (name changed) who suffered spinal injury due to a fall from height.

He is living with partial paralysis of the lower limbs.

Both of them have been advised to use wheelchairs for day to day ambulatory purposes.

A third veteran had also been provided with similar medical equipment (wheel chair).

He had suffered gunshot wound injury to his spine while on duty in the LOC.

"Provision of a wheelchair to the needy patient may not be very significant as far as costs are concerned.

What matters is the knowledge for our ex-servicemen community and for the officials that manage the organisation that such provisions do exist in the overall scheme of healthcare by ECHS," said AFESAM in a statement.

"Besides, by these small acts of filling in the gaps the ex-soldiers, sailors and airmen can sense the positive palpitations that is core of ECHS ethos," it said.

ECHS Polyclinic (Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) Imphal at Koirengei is responsible for providing comprehensive healthcare to the Ex-Servicemen community and their families of about 50,000 from 13 of its 16 districts in the State.

This is done through its pan India network and combination of Service Hospitals (Army, Navy and Air Force Hospitals), Govt hospitals and an approximate total of 1500 private empanelled hospitals spread over the entire nook and corner of the country.

"The petite Polyclinic housed in its humble army huts in the old airfield has been doing a yeoman's service in coping up with the huge burden and responsibility of providing the ever increasing demand of healthcare services to ESMs of Manipur," AFESAM said.

ECHS Polyclinic Imphal, under the aegis of MoD is under functional control of the Station Commander of the Leimakhong Military Station.

The team members and staff have fondly christened it as 'Kilo One', synonymous with the 'Numero Uno' status and the aim of the polyclinic providing succor and comfort to many ex soldiers, sailors and airmen who are passing through the twilight of their lives, it added.

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