Bhubaneswar: With Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and siblings at Puri fast approaching, the Odisha government has strengthened the health infrastructure in the pilgrim town with deployment of additional doctors and hospital beds for the annual festival.
Officials said that as many as 265 additional beds have been arranged in hospitals in Puri town ahead of car festival scheduled to be held on June 27.
The District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Puri has reserved 68 beds including 50 general beds, eight burn ward beds and 10 ICUs to meet any emergency situation during the festival.
This apart, 200 units of blood have been reserved at the DHH Blood Bank, and two minor operation theatres along with specialized dressing rooms have been established to handle any medical emergencies.
The medical response capacity at Puri has been bolstered with the deployment of 378 additional healthcare professionals from other districts.
This specialised team includes four specialists comprising two cardiologists and two neurosurgeons, 98 general duty doctors, 15 doctors from the AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, 50 AYUSH medical officers, one epidemiologist, one microbiologist, 50 pharmacists, 50 medical personnel, 30 nursing officers and five food safety officers.
For the first time, a team of doctors from the AIIMS-Bhubaneswar will be deployed at the Holy Town to provide additional support during the festival.
A comprehensive network of 69 first aid centres will operate throughout the Ratha Yatra period. Each centre will be staffed with qualified MBBS/AYUSH doctors, pharmacists, and support staff, operating round-the-clock during the Ratha Jatra, Bahuda Jatra, and Suna Besha.
As many as 74 ambulances will be stationed at various places at Puri Town. A dedicated control room will operate round-the-clock throughout the Ratha Jatra period to coordinate all health-related activities and respond to emergencies.
The control room can be reached at mobile number +91 6370560247 and landline number 06752-222175 for any medical assistance or information.
