The State Health and Family Welfare Department has prepared a detailed plan for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri scheduled on July 1.
Recently, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the department’s Additional Chief Secretary RK Sharma and discussed about various steps to be taken to provide uninterrupted healthcare services to pubic during the Rath Yatra.
It was decided that 30 First Aid Centres (FACs) would be set up at the strategic locations of Puri for providing better health services to the pilgrims and the devotees.
Some identified CHCs of Puri district would organise separate FACs with their existing manpower in their areas at the sites identified by CDM&PHO, Puri. A good signage would be put up before each FAC for better visibility of public. The expenditure related to signage would be made from the head of account under IEC activity.
The Dean and Principal of Sri Jagannath Medical College Hospital, Puri has been asked to issue necessary instruction to the faculties for their deployment in the hospital, FACs and other areas as required by the Puri Collector.
The Director, AYUSH has been asked to deploy 20 AYUSH doctors under the disposal of CDM&PHO, Puri by June 29, officials said.
One cardiologist each from Capital Hospital and SCB Medical College would be deployed to Puri on the day of Rath Yatra and Bahuda to meet the exigencies.
The department has asked to keep the Puri Covid Hospital in readiness for operationalisation to meet the requirement regarding treatment of emergency cases if required.
The Nursing Director has been asked to plan for deployment of at least 25 staff nurses from FM MCH, Baleswar, and 25 from Baripada Medical College. Initially, 15 from each site would be deployed with instruction to report in Puri on June 29 and rest 10 would be kept in readiness for deployment if required.
As many as 30 pharmacists and 40 MPHs (M) (preferably with pharmacy back ground) would be deployed at Puri by forenoon on June 29.
The Puri district Public Health wing would be responsible for testing of water samples while the NHM would coordinate with Ziqitza for deployment of 10 108 Ambulances at Puri for attending patients and emergency calls during the Car Festival. The Health Officer post in the Puri Municipality would be filled up immediately.
The Food Safety Director has been asked to ensure deployment of five Food Safety Officers, who would work under the supervision of DPHO, Puri and check the food samples for regulating the hygiene of the food as per protocol.
About 55 Community Health Officers would be engaged for the Rath Yatra duty.
The Special Secretary (PH) has been appointed as nodal officer from the department to monitor the issues. Senior officers from the department would visit Puri to supervise the overall arrangements.