Healthcare facilities save 81 heart attack patients during Sabarimala pilgrimage

PATHANAMTHITTA: Medical care facilities set up by the Health Department helped save 81 people who suffered heart attacks during the ongoing pilgrimage season, officials have said.

The round-the-clock modern health centres, along with specialist doctors and paramedical staff, enabled timely medical intervention and saved several lives during the pilgrimage, they added.

Of the 103 reported cases of heart attack, 81 patients were successfully treated. In addition, six lives were saved out of 25 reported cases of cardiac arrest through prompt medical attention, a state government press release issued on Saturday said.

All 44 reported cases of seizures were also successfully treated, it added.

"Giving special emphasis to life-saving measures, the health department has strengthened its preparedness to handle cardiac emergencies, considering the physical strain involved in the hill trek. Cardiology units have been set up, and essential life-saving drugs such as streptokinase and tenecteplase have been made available," the press release said.

So far, a total of 95,385 outpatients have received treatment at Sabarimala and nearby hospitals.

In addition to cardiac cases, 337 pilgrims were referred to other hospitals for advanced care, officials said.

A total of 22 emergency medical centres have been set up, including 17 centres along the trekking route from Pampa to Sannidhanam.

Each centre is equipped with trained medical officers, staff nurses, ECG machines, oxygen cylinders, emergency medicines and ambulance services, they said.

The hospital at Sannidhanam is equipped with a modern cardiology unit, ventilators, an operation theatre, an ICU, X-ray and laboratory facilities, and specialist doctors.

Officials said the health department was committed to providing all necessary support to ensure that pilgrims can undertake the trek safely and complete the darshan without health-related difficulties.