Gadchiroli Aug. 19 (District Correspondent) ‘SEARCH’, a voluntary organization founded by Dr. Abhay and Dr. Rani Bang, has so far, performed as many as 10,000 surgeries successfully. The surgeries that are being done free of cost have become a great support to the needy tribal and rural patients in Gadchiroli district.
The SEARCH has effectively tried to implement Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts in the health sector for the last 40 years. The surgical camps organized by it are a reflection of Gandhi’s message of ‘Go to the Village’. In this initiative, doctors from various parts of the state and the country come to Gadchiroli and offer their services.
Gadchiroli district is considered one of the remote districts of the country. The health facilities in this district are still not sufficient. But ‘SEARCH’ has tried to achieve Antyodaya in health facilities by taking various creative measures.
‘SEARCH’s’ Maa Danteshwari Hospital has been functioning since 1993. The needs of tribal and rural patients were incorporated in the design and functioning of this hospital. In 1996, Dr. Sharad Salphale conducted the first surgery camp for hydrocele, informed Tushar Khorgade, Co-Director of SEARCH.
Availability of expert doctors in remote Gadchiroli was not an easy task. As a solution to this, regular surgery camps were organized in ‘SEARCH’. In the year 2024-25, as many as 1152 surgeries have been successfully performed through 30 surgery camps. So far, 10,000 surgeries have been successful in SEARCH. Difficult and complex surgeries like spinal surgeries, which were previously impossible in rural areas, are also being performed regularly in SEARCH.
Currently, all surgeries in spine, plastic surgery, gynaecological surgeries and general surgeries are performed in SEARCH. 17 expert doctors from various specialties perform these surgeries on a charitable basis.
Not only are free surgeries performed on tribal and rural needy patients, but free mess facilities are also provided to the patients and the accompanying relatives. The facilities of X-ray, laboratory tests, and medicines are also provided to the patients, said Resident Medical Officer Dr. Datta Bhalavi.
Dr. Sanjay Shivde, a surgeon from Lonand, has been conducting surgery camps at Search since 2002. He said, “Search has changed with the times. Search has provided modern equipment to patients in Gadchiroli from time to time. Search is a kind of pilgrimage for us.”
