New Delhi, Jul 4 (IANS): Ghaziabad resident Major Prachi Garg, who has earned praise for being the only woman army medical officer during the 1999 Kargil war, has recently started a low-cost OPD treatment facility at her own house.

She treats healthcare workers every Sunday at the facility.

Garg, who was the Clinic Associate of late Padma Shri awardee K.K. Aggarwal and Medical Director of Heart Care Foundation of India, has treated hundreds of Covid-19 infected patients during the onset of the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

Even though she herself contracted Covid-19 infection, but she continued to treat other patients through the means of telemedicine. Now she has started a new initiative by setting up a clinic for the underpaid medical staff (those persons working in medical stores, pathology labs, paramedical staff, etc.) at her own house.

Garg charges a fee of only Rs 100 for treating healthcare workers which is cheaper as compared to the exorbitant bills being charged by the private hospitals.

During her past experience while serving in the Army, Major Garg has been the only woman army officer to have been at the Kargil war battle front from the Army's 8th Mountain Division.

Major Prachi Garg told IANS: "Since the last 15 days, I have started this OPD service for those health workers with meagre salaries or whose financial condition is such that they can't afford expensive treatment in big hospitals. Last Sunday, 15 patients came to my clinic and I am expecting more.

"Apart from my clinic, I have spoken to two labs in Ghaziabad which will give up to 50 per cent discount for those undergoing Covid tests. I have also spoken to smaller hospitals so that if there is a patient who needs to visit a hospital, he oe she can easily get treatment there."

A Ghaziabad resident Gunjan Gupta, who has been in touch with Major Garg since the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, told IANS, "With the outbreak of Covid-19 infection in May this year, I was quite scared as the hospitals were getting full with Covid patients. My parents are old and my brother is the sole bread earner in my family, so I got in touch with Major Prachi Garg.

"Major Prachi spoke to me over the phone about the treatment of my brother. Recently my health also deteriorated so I went to her house. She is a good doctor as well as a fine human being. The fee charged by her is meagre."

At present, Major Prachi is the Vice-President of IMA's New Delhi branch as well as the National Convenor of Ethics and Grievance Cell of IMA.

She has been honoured with several awards for her social work and passion -- IMA's Dr AP Shukla Memorial National Award, Prerna Nari Shakti Samman, Operation Vijay Star, Corona Warrior Award and Lakshmi Haribhau Wakankar.