Haj represents the largest and most enduring annual mass gathering event globally. The responsibility for medical care arrangements lies with the Emergency Medical Relief Division and the International Health Division of the Directorate General of Health Services under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
On the occasion, Shri Apurva Chandra stated that “this document lays the roadmap of the health services and how those services can be availed of by the pilgrims.”
Noting that this is only the second year since the healthcare responsibilities have been assigned to the Union Health Ministry, he stated that “the experience has provided significant learnings for improving the healthcare services.
Around 1,75,025 pilgrims undertook the Haj pilgrimage this year from India, of which approximately 40,000 are elderly people were above the age of 60. In view of the harsh weather conditions this year, the health challenges have necessitated round the clock services for the pilgrims. Last year, oral health and dental care services have been added learning from the past experience”. The Union Health Secretary also added that nearly 2 lakh OPDs have been conducted this year, along with visits by the medical teams to the pilgrims.
Shri Apurva Chandra stated that with the help of NIC a live portal has been developed that provides real time data and analysis on the pilgrims seeking medical care and the services being provided. “We are continuously monitoring and this will help us to improve our services significantly, such that we become the beacon of excellence to be emulated by other countries’, he added.
