Tourists-turned-surgeons are a boon

A group of seven doctors from Kolhapur, who were a holidaying in Leh, got in touch with authorities at the military hospital and offered to treat the injured.

Nearly all victims at the hospital had trauma injuries which required the expertise of surgeons. However, the hospital had just one surgeon and one anaesthetist.

Therefore, the group of  two orthopaedic surgeons, two general surgeons, two anaesthetists and an ophthalmologist, who were led by Dr Vinayak, appeared to be heaven-sent.

The only civilian hospital in Leh, the Sonam Norbu memorial Hospital, was badly hit. Hence, injured people as well as those needing critical care were routed to this military hospital. “Many patients had either broken their arms or legs or spine. Many had gone blind. So many needed surgeries in various parts of the body. We did 22 major surgeries and 42 minor ones,” Dr Vinayak said.