DHSK mulling to augment O2 facilities at Sonamarg, Pahalgam

As Kashmir is likely to witness the highest footfall of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath Cave shrine this year, the Directorate of Health Service Kashmir (DHSK) officials said that it has also increased the number of doctors and is also mulling to further create the ‘Manifold Oxygen’ availability at main hospitals at Sonamarg and Pahalgam.

An official form the DHSK told Rising Kashmir that in view of the expected high footfall of pilgrims for visiting the holy Amarnath Cave shrine this year, the DHSK has also augmented the dedicated healthcare for visiting pilgrims by adding more doctors and other paramedical staff during the period of Amarnath pilgrimage.

“As the footfall of holy Amarnath pilgrimage for this year is expected to be highest, we have added more doctors and other paramedical staff for whom a specialized training is going on and to augment and create the availability of ‘Manifold Oxygen’ modalities and discussions are being held with concerned department and is likely to be operationalized this year”, the official said.

Earlier this month, Apurva Chand, Secretary of Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that Kashmir is likely to witness the highest footfall of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave shrine this year.

“This year the Amarnath Yatra will be one of the biggest Yatras in the history of J&K as around 6-8 lakh pilgrims are expected to arrive on the pilgrimage,” Apurva Chand said.

Notably, the Director Health Services Kashmir during a review meeting on Saturday gave a brief presentation about the health care arrangements for the ensuing Yatra.

He informed that 70 medical centres will be set up which includes 6 base hospitals, 11 medical aid centres, 12 emergency aid centres besides 26 oxygen booths and 15 on-route facilities which he said will be established for the Yatra.

He further informed that 17 on-route facilities will be kept on alert to meet any exigency. The training and deployment of medical staff has been worked out as per the current requirements.

Giving a break up of staff for the Yatra, he said that they have kept a staff of 739 from the UT, MoH&FW will be providing 155 while as 437 staff members will be made available from other states.

The services of a total of around 1500 healthcare workers from J&K and other states shall be utilised to make the Yatra a success. Rising Kashmir