Health dept sets up five camps to screen Warkaris free of cost
The health department is aiming to screen 15 lakh devotees at the health camps.
2 min read
At a medical camp in Pandharpur on Wednesday. (Express photo by Deepak Joshi) The state health department set up five health camps in Pandharpur on Wednesday to conduct tests of Warkaris taking part in the annual Ashadi Ekadashi procession.
Warkaris are the devotees of Lord Vitthal, and their annual ‘Ashadi Ekadashi’ procession will culminate at the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur on Thursday. The health department is aiming to screen 15 lakh devotees at the health camps.
On the first day of the health camp, nearly 2.5 lakh Warkaris were screened at the five health camps free of cost.
A total of 32 tests for diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis and eye ailments are included in it.
The health department has roped in private specialists and doctors from Mumbai to check the devotees for eye ailments, heart diseases, kidney, stomach disorders, skin disorders, cancer among others.
The health camps have been equipped with portable X-ray, ECG machines, sonography and 20 such high-end diagnostics equipment for the screening.
Maharashtra health minister Dr Tanaji Sawant said, “Over 3,600 healthcare professionals are deployed at the health camps. This will benefit lakhs of devotees. After diagnosis, they would be shifted to the nearby primary health centres or hospitals.”
Over one lakh devotees also underwent eye checkups and 70,000 of them were given spectacles free of cost.
Also, for the first time, the public health department has set up 84 breast-feeding or ‘Hirkani Kaksha’ isolation rooms on the route of the pilgrimage.
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