374 Surgeries Mark Mega Armed Forces Eye Camp in UP

The Mega Eye Camp underscores the Armed Forces Medical Services’ expanding role in humanitarian outreach and civil-military cooperation, particularly in underserved regions.

The first Mega Advanced Surgical Eye Camp in Eastern Uttar Pradesh concluded at 12 Air Force Hospital, Gorakhpur, on 27 February 2026, with Armed Forces doctors performing 374 complex, sight-restoring surgeries over four days.

The landmark humanitarian mission, led jointly by specialist ophthalmic teams of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, has been hailed as a transformative healthcare intervention for the region.

The closing ceremony was attended by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command, Air Marshal B Manikantan. Senior leadership inspections were conducted by Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, and Director General Medical Services (Air), Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja.

A Beacon of Hope for Eastern UP

The camp drew patients not only from Gorakhpur but also from remote districts including Siddharthnagar, Azamgarh, Deoria and Maharajganj, as well as rural interiors across Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Patients from neighbouring Nepal also travelled to access the specialised care.

For many, the camp represented their first opportunity to receive advanced ophthalmic surgery without travelling to metropolitan centres.

Among them was 69-year-old Shri Amarnath Gupta of Gorakhpur, who had gradually lost his eyesight over the years. Following his successful procedure, he described the surgery as restoring his ability to see his grandchildren again — a moment emblematic of the camp’s wider human impact.

Elite Surgical Team and Airlifted Equipment

The mission was led by Brigadier (Dr) Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Head of Ophthalmology at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), supported by Lt Col Ravi Chauhan and Maj Amrita Joshi.

The highly specialised surgical team deployed advanced ophthalmic equipment airlifted to Gorakhpur by Indian Air Force aircraft, ensuring world-class medical capability was available in the region.

Officials noted that the use of precision equipment and coordinated logistics enabled the team to conduct a high volume of complex surgeries within a compressed timeframe while maintaining clinical excellence.

Military Medicine Extends Civil Outreach

The Mega Eye Camp underscores the Armed Forces Medical Services’ expanding role in humanitarian outreach and civil-military cooperation, particularly in underserved regions.

By combining operational precision with medical expertise, the initiative delivered large-scale healthcare impact in a short span — restoring vision and improving quality of life for hundreds of patients.

Senior officials described the mission as a model for future collaborative medical outreach efforts, demonstrating how military medical infrastructure can be mobilised swiftly to serve civilian populations.

As the camp concluded, the numbers told a powerful story — 374 surgeries completed — but for beneficiaries like Shri Gupta, the achievement was measured not in statistics, but in restored sight and renewed hope.