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Uttarakhand govt forms panel to improve health facilities for Char Dham pilgrims
The decision comes after 150 pilgrims died due to cardiac arrest and other health-related ailments during the Char Dham Yatra.
MUSSOORIE: The Uttarakhand government has set up a four-member expert committee to ensure better health facilities in Kedarnath and find ways to augment it further for the convenience of Char Dham pilgrims, health officials said on Thursday.
The decision comes after 150 pilgrims died due to cardiac arrest and other health-related ailments during the Char Dham Yatra. So far, 68 pilgrims’ deaths have been reported from Kedarnath Dham, followed by 36 from Yamunotri Dham, 34 from Badrinath Dham and 12 from Gangotri Dham, according to data provided by the state disaster management centre.
Health secretary Radhika Jha issued the order for setting up of the four-member expert committee that will be headed by director, National Health Mission, Saroj Naithani, Prof Anurag Agarwal from Doon medical college, Prof Amar Upadhyaya, assistant professor of cardiology and Naveen Rajput, assistant professor from department of medicine, Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant.
The head of the expert committee Saroj Naithani said, “The committee will function independently and cover all health-related aspects during its inspection beginning Friday at Kedarnath, which is the toughest trek route from the health perspective of pilgrims.”
“The committee will inspect the health screening camps and health units set up on the yatra route and will submit its recommendations to the state government about further improvement in health facilities in view of emergency health services and accidental and health related deaths”, she added.
Chief medical officer Rudraprayag, BK Shukla said, “Till June 8, on the Kedarnath Yatra route, 2,432 devotees underwent health check-up and treatment including 1,543 men and 889 women and so far, 66,159 devotees have been examined and treated through OPDs including 47,429 men and 18,730 women. Oxygen was provided to 174 pilgrims on Wednesday and so far, 2,934 passengers have been provided access to oxygen”.
So far, 259,710 passengers have been screened and 95 passengers have returned after being found unwell and refused to travel further.
6,575 devotees have been given emergency medical treatment in various hospitals during the yatra.
In addition, tracking of passengers is also being done through the 104 helplines so that in case of emergency, help of health services can reach the needy and they can be rescued, said the health officials.
Over 55,000 pilgrims visited the Char Dham shrines on Wednesday. So far, over 18.2 lakh pilgrims have visited the Char Dham shrines since the yatra started on May 7.
