NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya today, March 7, chaired a meeting with Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, Health Minister, Uttarakhand. The former called on Mandaviya and requested support from the Union 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 devotees face along the strenuous route and the number of pilgrim deaths in the past few months because ofm health emergencies such as stroke.  He continued that many of these casualties were pilgrims who had co-morbid conditions.

After the meeting, Mandaviya said: "For the national pilgrims starting the Cham Dham yatra, the government will soon provide a strong infrastructure for health support and emergency management. This will be a three-layered

construction to guarantee the pilgrims' medical needs are met during their journey." "The greatest possible healthcare and health emergency infrastructure will be given for the visiting pilgrims," Mandaviya promised, assuring full government support.

He informed that a robust network of advanced ambulances and stroke vans is considered to ensure that stroke management and treatment can start on way to the health facility. These ambulances will be stationed at different points on the yatra route, he added.

Meanwhile, PG students from medical colleges from across the country are proposed to be deployed as part of strengthened healthcare infrastructure and will act as first responders, the health minister said. This experience would also work as a skill-building and capacity-building exercise for the post graduate students. In addition to this, drones will also be used to offer  emergency medicines in the higher locales of the yatra.

Drones have been successfully used for the transportation of Covid-19 vaccines in the northeastern territories. Recently, AIIMS-Rishikesh has started a drone service to deliver and pick up medicines, Mandaviya said.

awareness campaigns, such as websites or portals that inform pilgrims of weather forecasts, the value of acclimatisation, the locations of medical facilities along the route, call centre information, pre-yatra screening results, emergency support numbers, etc.

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