Kochi: Cardiac deaths in Sabarimala are on the rise despite improved healthcare facilities extended by the health department with 28 devotees alone succumbing to heart-related ailments so far this season while negotiating the over four-km long trekking path from Pamba to the Lord Ayyappa hill shrine.
The worrying situation has prompted health experts to demand the launch of an awareness campaign locally to warn patients in the high risk category not to undertake the trekking.
“Out of 30 deaths so far this season, 28 pilgrims succumbed due to heart-related ailments. Also 1.7 lakh pilgrims sought treatment at hospitals and Emergency Medical Centres. Out of them, 228 were found to be suffering from cardiac arrests and over 13, 000 from other heart-related ailments. Another 148 sought treatment at out hospitals in the region following vehicle mishaps,” said Dr Suresh Babu, Chief Medical Officer, Sabarimala, quoting figures of the health department.
Last pilgrimage season, a total of 59 pilgrims died in the entire three-month period while 41 deaths were recorded during the season before that.
According to Babu, the main reason for the deaths is that many devotees tend to undertake the pilgrimage ignoring their medical ailments, often against the advice of doctors and even temporarily stopping medicines.
“The latest death was reported on January 3. The devotee came to Sannidhanam using the dolly service and collapsed while returning after offering prayers. An inquiry found he was suffering from a heart ailment,” the health official said.
“The Travancore Devaswom Board should launch an awareness campaign at its temples locally against such high-risk patients – suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity from undertaking the trekking,” he added.
Another reason is that the pilgrims mistakenly relate cardiac arrests to gas trouble and continue trekking. The health department deployed a paramedical team near the sanctum sanctorum who look for fatigued pilgrims with symptoms of a cardiac arrest while climbing ‘pathinettam padi’. Also high-risk areas with steep climbs have been earmarked and pilgrims are being monitored while trekking these spots.
