Bike ambulances, ICUs along wari routes: State health min

Kolhapur: The state health department is going to deploy bike ambulances, cardiac ambulances, and ICUs along the wari routes towards the temple town of Pandharpur.Lakhs of devotees of Lord Vitthal and Lord Rukhmini participate in the annual Ashadi Ekadashi pilgrimage.State health minister Prakash Abitkar held a meeting to review preparations at Pandharpur town of Solapur on Friday.He said that the health department is going to deploy around 1,300 to 1,500 staffers, including doctors, nurses, and other paramedics, along the pilgrimage routes. Several teams of gynaecologists will be present and the Hirkani Kaksh for breastfeeding will be set up."There will be 24 cardiac ambulances, 300 regular ambulances, 22 ICUs, mobile clinics every five kilometres, and bike ambulances along the warkari route. The ICUs will be set up at the places where Warkaris stay and take short rests," said Abitkar.When asked about the Covid-19 scare during wari, Abitkar said, "The cases are rising, but they are very mild, and most of them need no hospitalisation. There is no reason to fear."