Srinagar, June 05: The Health Department, Kashmir has geared up to provide better medical services during the 62-day Amarnath Yatra, which begins next month.
According to health officials, healthcare preparations would be established from Lakhanpur to Banihal and all the way to the Amarnath Yatra site on both the Chandanwadi and Balthal sides.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, spokesperson, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, stated that the department is trying this year to provide better healthcare facilities for pilgrims.
He stated that the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir has planned to set up 55 medical stations en route to Amarnath Yatra this year, with stations located both in Pahalgam and on the Baltal side.
“This will include six base hospitals (100-bed hospitals in Baltal and Chandanwari), 11 Medical Aid Centres (MACs), and twelve Emergency Aid Centres (EACs), as well as 26 oxygen booths. Furthermore, 13 existing on-route amenities will be improved,” he added.
“In addition, 17 other operational hospitals/health facilities will be on alert, as will 13 dedicated ambulances, eight Critical Care Ambulances, and 25 additional ambulances on standby for emergencies,” Mir stated.
All healthcare facilities near transportation routes will have emergency response systems in place, as well as adequate mapower around the clock.
He said oxygen manifold system will be made functional at Sonamarg, Baltal, Holy Cave, Lower Holy Cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag and Civil Hospital Pahalgam.
The telemedicine units will be established at Panjtarni and Baltal by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in collaboration with DHSK and will be functional from July 1.
The spokesperson said that 1,790 staff would be deployed for Yatra duties in four shifts including 228 specialists like cardiologists, respiratory physicians, physicians, orthopaedicians, general surgeons, 307 Medical Officers, 1,255 paramedical staff.
Out of the total requirement, 907 staff will be from Jammu and Kashmir while 883 staff has been requested to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
Mir also said that rapid testing for Covid-19 to be made available in base hospitals
“The processes for procurements of equipment, tents, pre-fabricated structure/igloo huts, drugs/consumables, services is underway for which the authorization has been sanction to the concerned Medical Directors (Yatra) Baltal/Pahalgam),” he said.
Notably, 20 PDA/SDA/SASB structures will be functionalized. Mir said that Yatra preparations are in full swing and that the administration is taking all necessary steps to ensure that pilgrims complete the yatra easily.
Doctors and paramedics who will be deployed for yatra duty are being trained in High Altitude Emergency Medicine at the Regional Institute of Health & Family Welfare (RIFW), Dhobiwan, according to officials.
Furthermore, tertiary care facilities such as SKIMS Soura, SKIMS Bemina, and Government Medical Colleges would be kept on standby for any referral cases during the Yatra period.
Although the yatra is held during peak summer, officials say that due to the high altitudes, the weather remains unpredictable, with temperatures dropping, which is harmful to health.
Thus the bigger challenge for the government and its departments is to provide facilities and create conditions that can help alleviate all difficulties and make this Yatra easy.
