Round-the-clock health services at Pushkarams

Hyderabad: Elaborate health arrangements have been made for Godavari Pushkaralu commencing in the five districts of Telangana from July 14. Addressing a press conference on preparedness for Pushkaralu at Secretariat, the Health Minister C Lakshma Reddy said 24X7 health services would be provided at 17 major pushkar ghats, including Bhadrachalam, Kaleswaram, Dharmapuri and Basara.

He said that the special medical camps would have one special officer, three medical officers, three staff nurses, three Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery s and three attenders in three shifts. “Necessary health facilities along with 104 and 108 services will be available at all 106 pushkar ghats in Telangana. Five nodal officers will be deputed and they would be attached to the District Medical and Health Officers. A team will monitor the functioning of health camps from monitoring cell set up at Hyderabad. Meanwhile, small ghats will be integrated with the local Primary Health Centres,” he said.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao,



who would inaugurate the festivities on the first day, had directed officials to put in place better medical facilities, the minister said. “State government is spending sufficient funds for the smooth conduct of Pushkaralu for 12 days. Facilities like drinking water, power, and better road connectivity are being in put in place,” he said.

The minister appealed to the people to avail of the health facilities being provided at the pushkar ghats including Dharmapuri, Kaleshwaram, Basara and other places of five districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad and Khammam.

“We are expecting as many as 6 crore pilgrims to take a holy dip during pushkarams. We have distributed pamphlets in coordination with food safety officials at nearby villages of pushkar ghats and an awareness campaign on contaminated food is being taken up by other departments. Transportation facility to shift patients to Hyderabad in emergency conditions will be available at all major ghats,” he said.