Three-layer healthcare infra to come up for Char Dham yatra pilgrims

New Delhi: The government is soon going to create a strong health support and emergency management infrastructure for the pilgrims embarking on Cham Dham yatra from across the country.

This will be a three-layered structure to ensure that the pilgrims are provided for during their journey from a medical point of view.

This was said by Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, on Monday, after meeting Dhan Singh Rawat, Health Minister of Uttarakhand.

Rawat had called on the Union Minister and requested support from the Central government for developing a health and emergency infrastructure for the lakhs of pilgrims who undertake the Char Dham yatra every year.

He informed the Union Health Minister of the health challenges faced by pilgrims along the strenuous route, and the number of pilgrim deaths in the past few months due to health emergencies such as stroke etc.

Many of these casualties were pilgrims who suffered from co-morbidities, he added.

Mandaviya assured “full support of the Centre”, saying “the best possible healthcare and health emergency infrastructure will be provided for the visiting pilgrims”.

He said that a strong network of advanced ambulances and stroke vans is planned to ensure that stroke management and treatment can start on the way to the health facility.

These ambulances will be stationed at different points on the yatra route, he added. PG students from medical colleges from across the country are proposed to be deployed as part of the strengthened healthcare infrastructure who will act as first responders.

“This experience will also act as a skilling and capacity building exercise for the PG students,” Mandaviya said.

In addition to this, drones will also be used to provide emergency medicine in the higher locales of the yatra.

(IANS)