Ayush ministry provided healthcare services to over 8 lakh pilgrims during Maha Kumbh

New Delhi: Ensuring the health and safety of millions of devotees, the Ministry of Ayush extended comprehensive healthcare services to more than eight lakh pilgrims, making their sacred journey safer and healthier during the Maha Kumbh, a statement issued by the ministry said on Thursday.

Besides setting up 20 Ayush OPDs and deploying mobile health units, more than 90 doctors and 150 healthcare workers worked tirelessly to provide continuous medical care throughout the grand spiritual event, the statement said, adding that these dedicated efforts ensured that the devotees, kalpvasis and seers could participate in the holy festivities without health concerns, particularly during the sacred Mahashivratri bath.

Dr Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Nodal Officer for Ayush at the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, informed that the ministry has successfully catered to the healthcare needs of more than eight lakh devotees, reflecting the growing trust in traditional Indian medicine.

The devotees also benefitted from therapeutic yoga sessions conducted by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), promoting physical and mental well-being.

To ensure seamless healthcare access, three Ayush convention halls were set up in Sector 2, Sector 21 and Sector 24, where daily yoga and wellness sessions educated the pilgrims on preventive healthcare, disease management and holistic living, the statement said.

Special attention was also given to revered seers, with dedicated health screenings in prominent akharas such as Juna, Anand, Niranjani and Vaishnav akharas, it added.

Besides, the mobile Ayush health units distributed medicines throughout the mela area, while various teams operated from canopies at several Ayush facilities, providing essential health check-ups to kalpvasis.

To further safeguard the devotees from common ailments, the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) launched a special initiative, distributing 10,000 Ayush Raksha kits packed with essential Ayurvedic medicines and wellness products.

This initiative was complemented by a week-long health camp, benefitting 15,000 pilgrims and reinforcing the ministry's commitment to preventive and holistic healthcare, the statement said.

Adding a green touch to the event, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) distributed more than 25,000 medicinal plants, ”including tulsi, ashwagandha, shatavari, neem, amla and curry leaf, to the devotees, promoting natural healing and reinforcing the importance of medicinal plants in daily life.

"The Maha Kumbh Mela is not just about spiritual awakening, it is also about ensuring the well-being of millions who undertake this sacred journey. The Ministry of Ayush remained committed to its efforts in integrating traditional healthcare into this grand event, making holistic wellness an integral part of the spiritual experience," the statement said.