By IANS
New Delhi : Defence Minister A.K. Antony Wednesday lauded the yeoman service done by the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) over the years during war and peace, saying it had also brought laurels to the nation when deployed on overseas assignments.
He was speaking at a function here where he gave away the Raksha Mantri's Trophy for the best-run hospital for 2006 to the Northern Command Hospital at Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
Hospital commandant Maj. Gen. Naresh Kumar received the trophy and a cash award of Rs.200,000.
"The AFMS has rendered yeoman service over the years both during war and peace. The AFMS has also brought laurels to the nation whenever deployed in UN or humanitarian missions in various countries," the minister said.
According to Antony, the swiftness with which medical relief was despatched for the 2006 Indonesian earthquake victims "has been appreciated all over the world".
"I have no doubt that the health of our troops, the ex-servicemen and their families is in safe hands," the minister added.
The AFMS chief, Surgeon Vice Admiral Yogendra Singh, highlighted the modernisation programme of the organisation and said it was "fully prepared" to meet any challenges.
Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju, Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt, Secretary (Defence Production) K.P. Singh, the three service chiefs, and other senior civil and military officials were also present on the occasion.
The Raksha Mantri's Trophy was instituted in 1989 "to create healthy competition among the Command Hospitals of the army and its equivalent hospitals in the navy and air force", a defence ministry statement said.