The public health department has set a new record this year by providing free treatment to over 14.28 lakh Warkaris (pilgrims) participating in the Palkhi procession for the Ashadi Ekadashi Wari 2024. This is the second year of the public health department setting up outdoor and indoor treatment facilities with intensive care units (ICUs) for the pilgrims, said officials.
The public health department started the ‘Arogyachi Vari, Pandharichya Dari’ or AVPD programme for the Ashadi Ekadashi Wari 2023 last year. This year, under the guidance of chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and state health minister Tanaji Sawant, ample arrangements were made for free healthcare services under AVPD 2.0 for the Warkaris participating in the 2024 Palkhi procession, officials said.
Dr Radhakishan Pawar, deputy director of health services, said that last year, the health department provided free treatment to over 11.64 lakh Warkaris who participated in the Palkhi procession. Whereas this year, the health department broke its own record by providing free treatment to over 14.28 lakh Warkaris.
Under AVPD 2.0, over 1,428,120 people were provided free healthcare services. Of these, 14.21 lakh pilgrims were treated at the outpatients’ department (OPD) and 6,989 patients were treated at the indoor patients’ department (IPD) on their way to Pandharpur. This year, three mega health camps were arranged round-the-clock in Solapur for the Warkaris.
Dr Pawar said that this year, a series of awareness activities were carried out regarding vector-borne, waterborne and communicable diseases on the entire Palkhi route. “We set up 87 ICUs at the health camps and temporary hospitals with a capacity of five beds each. Through emergency medical care, the team successfully saved over 300 lives. Further, 258 temporary medical units at a distance of five kilometres from each other were available round-the-clock,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Pawar said that this year, a series of awareness activities were carried out regarding vector-borne, waterborne and communicable diseases on the entire Palkhi route. “We set up 87 ICUs at the health camps and temporary hospitals with a capacity of five beds each. Through emergency medical care, the team successfully saved over 300 lives. Further, 258 temporary medical units at a distance of five kilometres from each other were available round-the-clock,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}At this year’s mega health camps, several super specialty services such as ophthalmology, cardiology, dermatology, oncology, neurosurgery, infectious diseases, and gastroenterology were provided free-of-cost to the Warkaris. A series of laboratory tests, radio diagnostic facilities, and sonography tests were also offered at the mega health camps, said officials.