3-layer healthcare infra for Char Dham pilgrims: Centre

New Delhi: The Union government is soon creating a strong health support and emergency management infrastructure for the pilgrims of Char Dham yatra in Uttarakhand.

It will be a three-layer structure to ensure that the pilgrims are provided with better healthcare services during their journey, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

He said this after a meeting with Uttarakhand Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, who requested for support from the Centre for developing a health and emergency infrastructure for lakhs of pilgrims who undertake the Char Dham yatra every year, a health ministry statement said. Rawat apprised Mandaviya about the health challenges faced by pilgrims along the strenuous route, and the number of pilgrim deaths in the past few years due to health emergencies such as stroke, etc, the statement said.

Many of these casualties were of pilgrims who suffered co-morbidities, the Uttarakhand health minister added.

Mandaviya assured full support from the Central government and stated that the best possible healthcare and health emergency infrastructure will be provided for the visiting pilgrims.