Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Before this year’s Rath Yatra, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Shalini Pandit visited Puri today to inspect the medical facilities and infrastructure. To secure the delivery of medical services from Nabajauban Darsahn to Gundicha Jatra and Bahuda Jatra, Pandit ordered the CDMO and Public Health Officers to remain on high alert.
Her discussions included topics including providing ambulance services, sending out medical teams, paramedics, and physicians, sending out teams to check on food safety, and treating various infectious illnesses. It was thoroughly reviewed how departments could coordinate with regard to welfare services, Covid management, the addition of extra emergency room beds in different hospitals, the system for treating heat stroke, etc.
In Puri district hospitals and adjacent hospitals, it has been planned to add 132 new emergency beds and 82 beds for the treatment of heat stroke for this year. Pandit was told to have the emergency medical and casualty teams fully prepared. On the Grand Road, there will be several First Aid Stations set up.
In addition, 30 ambulances will be maintained on standby at key locations. For the food safety inspection, two teams will be sent out, and a specific health awareness program will be set up. In the meanwhile, the district headquarters hospital has 25 oxygen beds, a fully equipped operating room, and an intensive care unit. The district health officials have strengthened the inspection of the food safety and drinking water system in order to prevent the potential of the spread of infectious illnesses during Rath Yatra. Pandit requested that the district’s director of health make sure that there is a sufficient number of physicians and paramedics available during the Rath Yatra celebration.
Pandit also gave the order for the State to deploy more than 240 specialists, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical personnel to Puri. The district’s hospitals were instructed to maintain the required stock of medications and to conduct a fresh check on the efficiency of all technical and medical equipment. It was agreed to issue permits to the district administration staff and health officials for transit during the festival for patient care.
