Shri Onkar Singh Hospital & Research Institute
SOS Memorial Trust
Shri Onkar Singh Memorial Trust (SOS MT) is a charitable non-profit organization founded in year 2000 by Dr. K. S. Charak, to provide free medical and surgical services to the poor and needy in rural parts of India.
Dr. K. S. Charak, an accomplished surgeon, is also a trained mountaineer with love for adventure. During mountaineering expeditions in Himalayas, he observed that the villages near the foot hills lacked basic medical facilities. Many villagers were found to be ailing from issues requiring medical attention and in many cases surgery. However, timely medical aid was unavailable to these villagers either due to lack of local medical facilities or due to lack of funds to travel to cities for medical help.
Wanting to help the poor and under privileged, Dr. Charak and friends set up an organization SOS Memorial Trust, to serve the people requiring medical aid in the rural parts of India. The members of the Trust volunteer their time, services, effort and money to organize week long medical and surgical camps in the villages and rural areas of northern India, where medical need prevails.
The opportunity of giving back to society has enthused colleague doctors, para-medics and people from non-medical domain to support the benevolent unique concept. Volunteers offer their time and services for free, while the Trust bears the expenses for logistics, area research, transportation, boarding and lodging of volunteers as well as medicines for patients, disposables and equipment for surgeries. The Trust is managing expenses from donations made by colleague and friends of Dr. Charak and volunteers who have seen the good work being done.
Services to Date
Since its inception in year 2000, SOS MT has been organizing free medical and surgical camps in rural areas of North India. In November 2017, the Trust reached a milestone of successfully completing 50 free medical and surgical camps. Through these camps, the Trust has handled 2,879 surgeries and 65,665 Outpatient cases alleviating the suffering of poor, who either cannot afford or do not have access to quality medical treatment. Additionally, the Trust has afforded treatment and medicines worth over $667 thousand US (INR 2.3 Cr) free of charge to its patients.
Organized in remote places like Bishnah, Bani, Basohli, Bhaderwah, Bilawar, Reasi, Soore Chak and Sundarbani in Jammu & Kashmir, Bhagdevar in UP, and in villages of Punjab, these camps are served by experienced doctors, surgeons and para medics from India and abroad including USA, UK, Australia, and Latvia.
The Trust carries out preliminary survey of the rural area which requires surgical and medical aid and decides to hold the camp. Local volunteers are involved in creating awareness and broadcasting the proposed camps in the surrounding areas with a suggestion to patients to visit the camp with available medical records. They also help in identifying a lab to carryout diagnostic investigations required prior to treatment and surgery. The team reaches the venue on a Sunday and ensures sanitation and sterilization of the operation theater and wards. Screening of patients is carried out the same day and those who are found eligible and requiring treatment are shortlisted for surgery starting from Monday morning. Usually, the first three days of the camp are involved in carrying out major surgeries (covering cholecystectomy, bowel, appendectomy, Genito urinary, Nephrectomy, uretero lithotomy, prostatectomy, Obstetric; Gynaecological, abdominal/ vaginal hystectomy; Hernia: ventral,epigastric, inguinal; Gynaecomastia; Head and Neck, thyroid; Surgery of breast and axilla; Varicose veins; Contracture release; Rectal, Peri-anal, fistula in-ano. Orthopaedics etc.) allowing for followup care and coordination. Minor surgeries are covered in the last three days. Few doctors and para medics stay behind for couple of days to ensure post-surgical medical aid in case the local area lacks the facility.
Hospital Project
Shri Onkar Singh Memorial Trust has launched a $2.4 million US (INR 16 Cr) campaign to construct, equip and operate a multi-specialty hospital and research institute at Nougran village in Jammu district, India. This campaign represents a portion (phase 1) of the overall goal of $6 million US (INR 39 Cr) required to facilitate construction and operation of a full-fledged hospital with 80 inpatient beds.
The SOS Hospital & Research Institute (SOSHRI) will focus on providing high quality care and enhancing medical & epidemiological research in Neonatal care, Pediatrics, Orthopedic, Cardiovascular Disease, Surgery and Supportive Primary Care.
SOS Memorial Trust has obtained a parcel of land measuring 86,000 sq ft. (2 acres) towards the Hospital project. The new hospital is planned to be more than 63,750 sq. ft. and will require approval by the state before construction can begin.
To meet the huge cost of building a hospital with medical equipment, the Trust is seeking continued support from friends, volunteers and philanthropists.
Donations & Support
The benevolent work performed by SOS MT is only made possible through the generous funding and support we have received from friends, volunteers and well wishers.
We appreciate your consideration and hope that you will be able to join us in funding this noble cause. We have setup secure online donation through Samjivani Foundation at http://medicalrelief.in/. For other forms of support or questions, please contact us at info@soshri.org.
Leadership
Dr. K S Charak
