DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday presented the Raksha Mantri Trophy for the Best and Second Best Command Hospitals of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for the year 2019. Command Hospital (Air Force) Bengaluru and Command Hospital (Eastern Command) Kolkata were judged as the Best and Second Best Command Hospital for the year 2019 respectively. The award ceremony was attended by the Defence Secretary besides senior service and civilian dignitaries.

 

Defence Minister, while complementing the two hospitals on their outstanding performance, acknowledged the commendable services being rendered by the AFMS, ranging from combat medical support to troops deployed in operational roles to state of the art healthcare services at mid-zonal, zonal and tertiary care hospitals of the AFMS.

 

Lt Gen Anup Banerji, SM, PHS, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services and Senior Colonel Comdt, Army Medical Corps, while speaking on the occasion, emphasised the preparedness of the AFMS to meet all challenges in providing medical support both during operations and in peace time as well as when called upon to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

 

He reiterated the resolute commitment of the AFMS to strive for professional excellence at all times. The Raksha Mantri Trophy was instituted in 1989 to recognise excellence in healthcare services provided by Command Hospitals of the AFMS and to foster a spirit of healthy competition among them.

 

A selection committee headed by an AFMS officer of the rank of Lt Gen/equivalent, recommends hospitals for the award each year via a comprehensive selection process based on objective performance indicators assessed during on-site visits to the hospitals.