30/05/2026
DHS Kashmir Launches Survey Drive to Identify Children with Congenital Heart Diseases
Srinagar, May 30 (KNC): The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Kashmir has directed all Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) across the Kashmir Division to conduct a special survey and awareness campaign to identify children suffering from or suspected to have congenital heart diseases (CHD) under the “Gift of Life–India” project.
According to an official communication issued by the Deputy Director (Schemes), DHS Kashmir, the survey will be carried out at the village and block levels through RBSK teams, ASHA workers and other field health functionaries. The initiative aims to identify children requiring specialized cardiac treatment and facilitate their inclusion in an upcoming Pediatric Heart Surgery Camp.
The directive follows a request from Rotary Club Rajouri, which is organizing a Pediatric Heart Surgery Camp under the “Gift of Life–India” project at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu on June 13, 2026. Prior to the camp, preliminary screening of children from Kashmir is scheduled to be held at Children’s Hospital Bemina, Srinagar, on June 4, 2026.
Officials have been asked to prepare and share detailed line-lists of eligible patients, including their medical history, echocardiography reports and contact details, with the concerned authorities within the stipulated timeframe.
The camp is aimed at providing screening, evaluation and, where required, free or subsidized heart surgeries for children diagnosed with congenital heart diseases. Selected patients may undergo treatment at Amrita Hospital, Kochi, under the humanitarian initiative.
DHS Kashmir has termed the matter as urgent and called upon district health authorities to ensure maximum outreach and publicity so that deserving children, particularly from economically weaker and remote areas, can benefit from the programme.(KNC)
