Kollam: Punalur Taluk Hospital, which has set several benchmarks for public health, has added one more feather to its crown.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Anu George and her team have successfully performed the first elbow replacement surgery in the history of taluk and district hospitals in the state, giving a new life to Jayakumari, 39, who had completely lost the flexibility of her elbow.

The surgery that would have roughly cost Rs 4-5 lakh in private hospitals was completed for less than Rs 1 lakh.

“The achievement is an answer to the exploitations of a private medical sector,” Shahir Sha, hospital superintendent, told DC.

The public hospitals have qualified doctors to the service of the patients. However, lack of proper infrastructure pulls them down.

“We already have necessary facilities including a C-arm machine. We also could conduct hip and total knee replacement here,” he added.

Ms Jeyakumari came with her elbow in 90-degree flexed position. The surgery took nearly two hours.