SMVDSB assists treatment of ill, injured pilgrims

Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, May 13: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has established a chain of medical units on the track from Banganga to the Bhawan with doctors and paramedics and adequate quantity of the required medicines, to provide prompt medical treatment in case any pilgrim falls ill or suffers injury.
The medical units are located at Banganga, Adhkuwari, Himkoti, Bhairon, Bhawan and there is a Hospital at Sanjichhat.
The medical units, which have a total of 40 beds, are equipped with emergency and other medicines and equipments such as cardiac monitor, defibrillator, oxygen concentrator, ventilator, eco cardio graphy machine, infusion pump, neubiliser, etc. Seven ambulances, including one Critical Care Ambulance, have also been stationed at various locations for emergency evacuation at Bhawan, Adhkuwari and Katra and stretchers and wheel chairs are placed all along the track to provide support to the needy and for shifting patients.
Besides the doctors and paramedical staff, other staff deployed on track are also given training in handling emergency cases, including training on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Since 1-1-2016, four such training programmes have been organised and about 200 employees have been trained so far.
Providing details Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board, informed that if any Yatri who is on pilgrimage to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi falls ill or gets injured on the track, the Board provides immediate treatment at the nearest medical unit on the track or shifts the injured/sick pilgrim to secondary and tertiary care hospitals.
Now after operationalising of 230-bed Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakryal all the sick and injured pilgrims, who require specialised treatment, are referred to this Superspeciality Hospital and the cost of their treatment is borne by the Shrine Board.
In the case of death of any pilgrim due to an accident, the Shrine Board provides Rs. 3 lakh, as ex-gratia, to the next of kin of the deceased for which the Shrine Board has procured an insurance policy and premium is being paid by the Board. In the event of a pilgrim dying on the track, the Shrine Board provides financial support for transportation of the dead body to his/her native place or for the performance of last rites at Katra.
CEO has reported to Governor N N Vohra, Chairman of the Shrine Board, that during the first four months of this year, the Shrine Board spent Rs. 2,67,997 towards medical treatment of 103 pilgrims who fell ill or got injured on the track and gave Rs. 3,19,255 for the travel expenses, to go back home, to the family members of the deceased pilgrims.