Field hospitals, first-aid booths among facilities set up as devotees throng town

There will be two fully equipped field hospitals — a 20-bed facility at Tulsi Udyan and a 10-bed facility at Tent city — and 16 first-aid booths to ensure proper health facilities for the devotees. A control room will also be set up in the mela area.

A team from the trauma centre associated with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, has also conducted training in basic life support, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and triage techniques for all healthcare workers deployed in Ayodhya.

The Union Health Secretary and the Director General of Health Services recently visited Ayodhya to assess and fortify the medical infrastructure.

The government has also instituted vector control and disease surveillance measures to prevent any outbreak during the event. While mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue do not usually spread during winter months, an increase in respiratory infections caused by Covid-19 and seasonal influenza has been seen across many cities in India.

In addition to the medical facilities at the venue, the bed strength of Rajarshi Dashrath Rajkiya Medical College has also been increased from 350 to 550 as a back-up facility.

The Centre’s indigenously developed portable hospital for emergencies, which has mini Cubes with different equipment, medicines and consumables — called Arogya Maitri Disaster Management Cube – BHISM — is likely to be at ready if needed.

Hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and other neighbouring states have also been asked to remain on alert in case of any unforeseen emergency situations. A designated team is ready for rapid deployment in the event of emergencies, according to the Health Ministry.

The International Health Division of the ministry is also enhancing health facilities at the Ayodhya airport.