PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Health secretary R Rajesh Kumar has directed chief medical officers (CMO) of the districts under the Char Dham Yatra route to keep all the permanent and temporary health units fully equipped with necessary medicines, equipment and manpower for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra.
He presided over a meeting with the CMOs and other officers of the State health department at his office in the State secretariat on Wednesday. He said that the objective of the State government is that every pilgrim is able to complete the Yatra safely with the help of strong and accessible health services at every point of the Yatra.
Kumar said that a health advisory in 13 languages has been prepared for the pilgrims and hoardings regarding health awareness will be placed at important places and the places of probable traffic jams along the Yatra route. He said that the construction of the 17 bed hospital in Kedarnath is at its last phase and this hospital is being equipped with modern facilities and equipment.
He claimed that 20 health units located on Yatra route in Chamoli district will become completely operational till April 30. Kumar added that all the health units on the Gangotri and Yamunotri route are operationally ready.
The secretary informed that 69 medical officers are already deployed on the Yatra route and apart from them specialist doctors will be deployed on a 15 day rotational basis. The department will deploy two orthopaedics, two physicians, five anaesthesia specialists, and five surgeons on the Yatra route.
The secretary said that all the officers and the employees of the Food safety and Drugs Administration department have been kept in an alert mode for the upcoming Yatra. He informed that strict action will be taken against the food vendors without registration. The quality of edible items on the Yatra route will be regularly tested.
The additional secretary Anuradha Pal, director general health Dr Sunita Tamta, director medical education Dr Ashutosh Sayana and other officers of the health department attended the meeting.
