Dehradun, Mar 28: The Uttarakhand government has issued a health advisory for Chardham Yatra pilgrims, asking them to get a health checkup done before they start their journey.
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The advisory also asks them to practice walking, do ‘pranayama’ and heart-related exercises well before the journey.
Every year hundreds of pilgrims die due to health-related issues during the Chardham Yatra. High-altitude sickness, oxygen deficiency and cardiac arrest are the most common reasons behind the death of pilgrims.
According to official records, 246 pilgrims died due to health reasons during the yatra last year and 242 in 2023.
The advisory issued in 12 languages asks devotees to keep adequate quantity of essential medicines with them.
Preparations for the Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand has begun as it will commence on April 30 with the opening of the doors of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples. Kedarnath will open for devotees on May 2 and Badrinath on May 4.
According to the advisory, the pilgrims should mandatorily register on the Health and Tourism Registration App. They consume adequate water, balanced diet and light hot beverages in the course of the journey, it said.
It also asks them to take advantage of the screening centres and medical relief posts built on the yatra route to monitor their health when needed during the pilgrimage.
Screening points have been set up to check pilgrims on 28 parameters, including blood pressure, sugar, oxygen level during the yatra, Health Secretary R Rajesh Kumar said.
The offline registration point will also have facilities for health screening. All screening points have been linked with the registration point so that the passengers can have a complete health checkup before starting their journey, the health secretary said.
The number of medical relief points on the travel route has been increased and trained medical staff and doctors will be deployed.
Apart from this, health secretaries of the states have also been asked to motivate medical experts from their states, especially cardiologists, orthopedics, surgeons, to voluntarily contribute to the hospitals located on the Chardham Yatra route, the official said.
The state government has also prepared a list of do’s and don’ts and other related material to promote health safety during the Yatra. This material has been shared in all the states, so that pilgrims are safe during the journey. (Agencies)
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