Better facilities have lowered mortality rate: Official

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 14

Dr Saleem ur Rehman, Director General of Health Services Kashmir, said on Saturday that out of the 22 pilgrims who died during the Amarnath yatra this year, only one died in hospital, which revealed the effective healthcare set up by the government.

The mortality rate of the pilgrims has declined over the years due to the establishment of five state-of-the-art healthcare facilities along the yatra route.

From 120 deaths in 2012 to 22 in 2018, the pilgrimage to the cave shrine is slowly becoming a safe spiritual journey.

“We have saved lives of at least 100 patients this year by using high altitude pulmonary odema bags. We have conducted thrombolysis there, which is unprecedented,” said Rehman.

He said the Health Department had successfully met their primary objective of sensitising the pilgrims to the importance of maintaining good health during the pilgrimage.

“As many as 24.5 per cent pilgrims availed the medical facilities along the yatra route in 2012. In 2017, 75.8 per cent pilgrims have availed these facilities, which has resulted in a decline in the mortality rate. This has also been achieved by a sustained awareness campaign among pilgrims,” Rehman said.

At least 29 health facilities, 12 oxygen booths, and 1,380 health professionals, including 450 doctors, have been deployed to provide quality healthcare to the pilgrims. “Earlier in 2006, we used to have a small team of doctors who will go with pilgrims and return with them. Now, we have 12 full-fledged health facilities each with 25 beds en route to the Amarnath cave shrine. They are equipped with ventilators, HAPO bags and even thrombolysis is performed on stroke patients,” Rehman said.