Jammu, May 16 -- Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspecialty Hospital in Katra has successfully carried out over 100 successful knee, hip replacement surgeries in Rajouri-Poonch under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, said officials.

The beneficiaries, along with doctors of the hospital and citizens, gathered in Rajouri to celebrate the achievement.

The initiative was started by Dr Vikas Padha, the senior joint replacement surgeon at the hospital, who started his monthly outreach OPDs in the twin border districts. "For many of these patients, severe knee and hip problems had confined them to their homes for years. The challenge was not just treatment - it was access. Through these outreach initiatives, patients suffering silently in remote...