New Delhi: The Centre on Monday assured the Uttarakhand government that a drones facility, as well as three layered healthcare infrastructure, will be made for the health and safety of pilgrims during the Char Dham Yatra.
"The government is soon going to create a strong health support and emergency management infrastructure for the pilgrims embarking on Char 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," said Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya during a meeting with Uttarakhand Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat.
Rawat called on Mandaviya at the health ministry and appealed for assistance from the central government. Rawat informed Mandaviya about the challenges being faced by pilgrims and the number of pilgrims' death in the past few months that took place due to health emergencies such as stroke.
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"A strong network of advanced ambulances and stroke vans is planned 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," Mandaviya said.
He also said that PG students from medical colleges across the country are proposed to be deployed as part of 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.
Emphasising that drones had been successful in delivering Covid 19 vaccines, Mandaviya said that these (drones) will also be used to provide emergency medicines in the higher locales of the yatra.
"A strong referral backend system is being developed with AIIMS Rishikesh, Doon Medical College and Srinagar Medical Colleges acting as tertiary nodes for specialist care. This shall provide an end-to-end clinical treatment for pilgrims' health," Mandaviya said.
