Soldiers dying from cold and pulmonary oedema in Siachen glacier is now a thing of the past. The Army Medical Corps claims that no such cases of death have been reported in the past three years. ‘‘For the past three years, there have been no cold or pulmonary fatalities on the 42-km long glacier,’’ said Lt Gen B.N. Shahi on the occasion of celebrations planned for the 240th anniversary of the Corps on January 1. With a full-fledged modern hospital now in place, as well as the old one providing medical care, the medical corps has ensured zero cold fatalities. Indigenously developed hypo-pressurised bags, which ease pulmonary attacks and enable affected soldiers to be brought down to hospitals, have also been made available to the forward-most posts at heights of more than 23,000 feet. Citing the recent medical workshop held with US doctors in Leh, Shahi said the medical corps’ pioneering work on high altitude diseases has won acclaim from far and wide. ‘‘The US Army was keen to share our medical experiences at such extreme altitudes,’’ Shahi said. — (ENS)
