Treatment of patients from Ladakh at AIIMS
In Ladakh, specialised medical care for complex diseases is a major challenge for locals, especially for those hailing from remote or economically marginalised backgrounds. As a result, patients with serious illnesses such as cancer, neurological, neurosurgical, cardiological, cardiothoracic, nephrological or gynaecological disorders, or patients requiring advanced surgeries like removal of tumors, hip and knee replacement, are not able to access proper treatment, suffer, and eventually end their life in pain.
Considering the difficult situation of patients suffering from life-threatening or complex diseases, Venerable Lama Lobzang started the Medicare Initiative for Ladakh in the 1980s under which he assisted severely ill patients from Ladakh to get treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. In the past two and a half decades, thousands of patients have been provided medical treatment at AIIMS under Asoka Mission.
Each patient is given due attention and personalised care as needed by the nature of their illness. Venerable Lama Lobzang visits the patients at the hospital daily to oversee their treatment. The stay for some of the poor patients and their attendants during the course of treatment is arranged at Asoka Mission campus free of cost.
Over a period of time, Asoka Mission has been receiving a large number of cancer patients. All the cancer patients are treated at Dr. B.R.A Institute – Rotary Cancer Hospital, AIIMS, and provided accommodation at Asoka Mission. Treatment of cancer is a time-taking, long and complex process. Asoka Mission assists cancer patients throughout the treatment. They also make sure that the cancer patients, especially patients from remote regions, return on time for follow up.