Health camps set up along Char Dham Yatra route for pilgrim safety

Authorities have set up health screening camps and OPDs along the Char Dham Yatra route, including Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, to monitor pilgrims’ health, especially older travellers, and ensure safe passage through the high-altitude journey

Rishikesh: Prajapati Nautiyal, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for the Char Dham Yatra Administration Organisation, on Sunday, said that special transit camps have been put up on the ‘yatra’ route for pilgrims to undergo health screenings. Along with this, the officer said that Out Patient Departments (OPDs) have also been set up along the path leading to the pilgrimage sites.

This year, the Char Dham Yatra began on April 19 with the opening of the portals of Yamunotri and Gangotri temples. The Kedarnath Dham and Badrinath Dham were opened on April 22 and 23, respectively.

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Nautiyal urged the people undertaking the Hindu pilgrimage, to thoroughly read and understand the health advisory that has been issued by the Health Department. “We expect all pilgrims to read and understand this advisory before starting their journey and plan accordingly. If you feel any symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, or headache, you should get proper health screening done or visit an OPD and consult the medical teams available along the ‘yatra’ routes,” he said.

About the transit camps, he said: “Here we have five teams for health screening. Those pilgrims who are more than 50 years of age are getting themselves screened here for blood pressure, sugar levels etc.”
In addition, he said, “We also have OPD facility here where pilgrims are taking the required medicines in a proper way.” Nautiyal mentioned that according to the data received so far, more than 1000 pilgrims have already undertaken screening at the health camps and have utilised the OPD facility.

The officer also noted that camps have been arranged for pilgrims to take rest. “The government and the administration have made arrangements at several areas of the ‘yatra’ route, where the pilgrims can halt and take rest from time to time.”

He underlined that such preparations have especially been made, citing the weather and terrain of the route undertaken by pilgrims. Nautiyal hoped for all pilgrims to have a fulfilling journey.

“The government and the administration are making all possible efforts to make the journey a safe and successful one. The Chief Minister (Pushkar Singh Dhami) is also constantly monitoring the yatra,” he added.