In a bid to tackle any eventuality, two 100-bedded specialty hospitals have been built in record 15 days at the Amarnath Yatra base camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
The J-K administration has set up two specialty hospitals at the base camps of Baltal, in Sonamarg area of central Kashmir's Ganderbal, and Chandanwari, in Pahalgam area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district, the twins routes for the yatra.
It has been reported that the healthcare workers, including doctors and para-medical staff are working round the clock at the hospital.
Both the hospitals were built by the DRDO in a record time of 15 days.
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They were inaugurated by J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on June 28.
Last year, flash floods near the holy cave shrine had killed 15 people and injured many others.
When asked whether the facility at Ganderbal was ready to deal with any kind of eventuality including of the magnitude like the last year, the chief medical officer (CMO), Ganderbal, Dr Afroza Shah said the facility is fully equipped and prepared for dealing with any possibility including a natural disaster.
All about the hospitals
As per media reports, the two makeshift and state-of-the-art hospitals are equipped with the most advanced equipment.
The hospitals also include separate blocks for doctors and nursing staff, ICU wards, oxygenated wards and triage areas and other required inventories for all critical medical care.
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The CMO said the medical facility at Baltal carries 100 beds, which include 30 residential beds and 70 clinical beds.
"Among these, 29 are oxygen beds and nine are triage beds. Intensive Care Unit has four beds," she told PTI.
The CMO said the staff working at the hospital has been acquired from all over the country and has been facilitated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
"Around 1,200 healthcare workers -- both doctors and para-medical workers -- including from outside Jammu and Kashmir, are working here," Shah said.
The official said the hospital has two separate OPDs for male and female patients.
Besides, abundant space is available in the form of a waiting area including washroom facilities.
Fully functional and well-equipped laboratories are also available where all kinds of tests can be performed, she added.
Radiologists, X-rays, ultrasonography machines, and cardiac monitors are provided. A liquid medical oxygen plant has been installed here, the CMO said.
Shah said to cater to high-altitude-related sickness, oxygen is readily available at the facility including medium size, portable and bulk oxygen cylinders.
A total of 16 oxygen booths are set up along the 16-kilometre track, that is from Baltal to Domail -- out of which six booths are permanent and the rest 10 are mobile, she said.
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"Where the hill becomes steeper, four to five mobile booths are also provided along the stairs," she added.
According to the officials, besides the state-of-the-art hospital, the administration has also stationed four more hospitals along the Baltal axis -- Base Hospital Baltal, Base Hospital Panchtarni, Base Hospital Lower Holy Cave, and Base Hospital Holy Cave -- where all kinds of facilities are available to cater to any possibility including the breathlessness issues often confronted by the pilgrims
