The Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande on Tuesday felicitated the Indian Army's medical team 60 Para Field as they returned home after providing assistance in earthquake-hit Turkiye under 'Operation Dost', reported ANI.
Gen Manoj Pande talked about the efforts made by Indian Army’s team in Turkiye to aid and support as many people as they can. He told ANI, “The hospital was mobilized at a short notice of 6 hours and a 30 bedded hospital was organized in Turkiye. It was a timely decision. the Field hospital was self-contained for 14 days and comprised specialist doctors.”
Gen Pande said that the hospital set by the Indian medical team in Turkiye treated around 3,600 patients.
“We have received messages from Turkish citizens expressing their gratitude for providing them assistance in the hour of need,” he added.
Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande said that he is proud of the medical team for rendering humanitarian aid and relief to quake-hit Turkiye, PTI quoted him as saying. He further said that within a short period of time, the Indian Army medical team established a 30-bed field hospital in the Iskenderun region in quake-hit Turkiye.
Gen Pande noted that the timely decision and excellent inter-agency coordination made the Indian team among the first few medical teams to reach Turkiye, reported PTI. He said that the Indian medical team is extremely appreciative of assistance and cooperation extended to them by Turkish citizens.
Talking about the relief efforts, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DG Atul Karwal told ANI that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave full support to the officials and their passports were made on the same day.
“PM gave full support & PMO held a meeting and instructed us to go there immediately & our official passports were made on the same day. IAF brought our team from Kolkata to Delhi. ITBP provided us winter clothing & our team departed without delay of a minute,” Karwal was quoted as saying by ANI.
He mentioned that the NDRF team recovered 85 bodies and rescued two girls alive.
He said, “There was so much respect from locals. There were food problems but they used to arrange some food and tea for our teams.”
Karwal also talked about the dogs' squad and how the dogs helped the NDRF team to recuse the two girls alive.
He said, “Dogs are trained to sniff and sense the possibility of an alive person buried in the rubble. Our dog Julie sniffed something and barked to inform us that there is a person trapped inside, later our second dog Romeo reconfirmed and then we were able to rescue a girl alive.”