New Delhi, Jun 30 (IANS): The Union Health Ministry on Thursday announced the setting up of two 50-bed hospitals with the help of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for Amarnath pilgrims.

"The 50-bed hospitals have been set-up at Baltal and Chandwari by DRDO through the funds provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). For these hospitals, there is an additional requirement of staff. The surplus manpower available with MoHFW was provided to Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Kashmir for further deployment", the Health Ministry said.

The Ministry has also deployed medical professionals from Central government and state government-run hospitals to assist devotees while on the way to Amarnath.

The Health Ministry said that the state governments (particularly those states from where large number of pilgrims arrive) have been informed about the required arrangements along with medical preparation including services of specialist doctors as well as General Duty Medical Officers to supplement the efforts of the Jammu & Kashmir Government.

For attending medical emergencies during the Yatra, health professionals including doctors and paramedics will be deployed in batches. First batch commenced from June 25 and will be deployed till July 13. Second and third batches would be from July 11 to July 28 and July 26 to August 11, 2022.

The Government of J&K through DHS, Kashmir has requested for 155 medical personnel, 87 doctors and 68 paramedics. In all, 176 nominations, 115 doctors and 61 paramedics, have been received from the Central Government Hospitals and CGHS.

Further, the Government of J&K also requested 11 states and Union Territories for 437 medical personnel that includes 154 doctors and 283 paramedics.

"In all, 433 nominations of 214 doctors and 219 paramedics have been received from 9 states. Deployment of 428 medical personnel (211 doctors, 217 paramedics) have already been made by DHS (Kashmir) for all the three batches," the Ministry said in a statement.