Semi-Permanent Hospitals ready at Baltal & Pahalgam
Advanced healthcare facilities & emergency readiness for Amarnath Yatra
Srinagar, June 10: Extensive healthcare arrangements are being established ahead of this year’s AmarnathYatra, set to commence on June 29, with special base hospitals being set up at Baltal and Pahalgam, officials announced on Monday.
The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) has introduced several new measures to ensure seamless healthcare services during the annual pilgrimage. This year marks the first time the health department is introducing semi-permanent infrastructures for the base hospitals in Pahalgam and Baltal, which will continue to serve the public beyond the Yatra period.
“These semi-permanent structures signify a shift from the previous practice of constructing temporary facilities annually, a laborious process. Existing structures from last year will be strengthened, eliminating the need for new constructions,” a DHSK spokesperson said. This initiative aims to enhance the durability of the infrastructure, ensuring it withstands all seasons and heavy snowfall in winter.
The government is enhancing the resilience of these structures by incorporating additional columns to withstand diverse weather conditions. The introduction of semi-permanent infrastructure will not only improve healthcare accessibility but also add to the emergency services available for tourists throughout the year, thereby improving overall public health.
The Health Department Kashmir, in collaboration with other departments and stakeholders, is making extensive preparations for the AmarnathYatra. A notable new intervention this year is the introduction of a remote monitoring system for all base hospitals, which was previously lacking.
Last year, the National Level Review and Planning Meeting on AmarnathYatra, chaired by AtulGoel, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was held in Srinagar. During the 60-day yatra period last year, approximately 5 lakh yatris visited the holy caves and received top-notch healthcare facilities.
To cater to the influx of pilgrims, the department has upgraded its facilities. Officials detailed the preparations, stating that a total of 55 medical stations will be established by DHSK along the AmarnathYatra route, including six base hospitals (100-bedded hospitals at Baltal and Chandanwari), 11 MACs, 12 EACs, and 26 oxygen booths. Additionally, 13 existing on-route facilities will be upgraded.
Seventeen other functioning hospitals and health facilities will be on alert. Thirteen dedicated ambulances and eight critical care ambulances will be deployed, with 25 additional ambulances on standby for emergencies. All hospitals and health facilities near transit routes will have emergency response systems in place, including adequate manpower available at all times.
The Oxygen Manifold System will be operational at Sonamarg, Baltal, the Holy Cave, Lower Holy Cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag, and Civil Hospital Pahalgam. Telemedicine units at Panjtarni and Baltal (ISRO) will be reinstalled, and eSanjeevani will be available at all medical sites.
In addition to the extensive healthcare arrangements along the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, pony ambulances will be available to yatris for their journey to and from the cave. Furthermore, tertiary care facilities such as SKIMS Soura, SKIMS Bemina, and Government Medical Colleges will be on standby to handle any referral cases.
All the healthcare arrangements are being put in place while the special base hospitals are being set up at Baltal and Pahalgam ahead of this year’s AmarnathYatra, officials said on Monday.
This year the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir has introduced several new interventions aimed to ensure hassle free healthcare facilities during the annual Yatra which will commence in the valley on June 29.
This is for the first time the health department introduced semi-permanent infrastructures for two base hospitals in Pahalgam and Baltal to improve healthcare. The semi-permanent structures will later serve the public beyond the duration of the yatra.
“These semi-permanent structures mark a departure from previous practice of constructing temporary facilities annually, a process that was laborious. The existing structures from last year will be strengthened to eliminate the need to gather materials for new constructions,” a spokesperson of DHSK said.
The officials said that this has happened for the first time and it will ensure the durability of the infrastructure across all seasons and during heavy snowfall in winter.
“The government intends to enhance the resilience of these structures by incorporating additional columns, enabling them to withstand diverse weather conditions,” he said.
The introduction of semi-permanent infrastructure will not only enhance healthcare accessibility but also add to the emergency services for tourists throughout the year. Moreover, the expansion of healthcare facilities will improve overall public health.
Every year, the Health Department Kashmir in collaboration with all the other departments and other concerned stakeholders makes preparations during the AmarnathYatra.
Similarly, another intervention started this year is the introduction of remote monitoring system which will monitor all base hospitals which was lacking before.
The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir is making all the required measures at their level for the yatris. Last year, the National Level Review and Planning Meeting on AmarnathYatrawas held in Srinagar which was chaired by AtulGoel, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Last year, some 5 lakh yatris visited the holy caves during the 60 day yatra period and they were treated well and given the best possible healthcare facilities.
Due to active efforts of the Government, the Yatra will cater to the rush of pilgrims and the department has upgraded its facilities to live up to the requirements of pilgrims.
Talking about the preparations, the officials said that a total 55 Medical Station will be set up by DHSK enrouteAmarnathYatra which will include 6 Base hospitals (100 bedded Hospitals at Baltal&Chandanwari), 11 MAC’s, 12 EAC’s and 26 Oxygen Booths. He said that in addition 13 existing on-route facilities will be upgraded.
Seventeen other functioning hospitals and health facilities will be on alert. Thirteen dedicated ambulances and eight critical care ambulances will be deployed, while twenty-five additional ambulances will be on standby for emergencies.
All hospitals and health facilities near transit routes will have emergency response systems in place, including adequate manpower available at all times.
The Oxygen Manifold System will be made functional at Sonamarg, Baltal, the Holy Cave, Lower Holy Cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag, and Civil Hospital Pahalgam.
According to officials, the telemedicine unit at Panjtarni and Baltal (ISRO) will be reinstalled, and eSanjeevani will be available at all medical sites.
Although the health department has made all the healthcare arrangements along both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes to the holy cave, pony ambulances are an additional facility available to yatris until they reach the cave and for their return journey.
Furthermore, tertiary care facilities such as SKIMS Soura, SKIMS Bemina, and Government Medical Colleges will be on standby during the Yatra to handle any referral cases.
