Muktinath pilgrims undergo health checks to prevent altitude sickness

Nearly 9,000 pilgrims visit Mustang on Sunday

POKHARA, April 8: Health check-ups for pilgrims and tourists visiting the Muktinath Temple (3800m), a religious site in Mustang district, have started. Officials have initiated these check-ups due to the increased risk of altitude sickness from rapidly ascending to high altitudes.

DSP Bhojraj Pandey of Mustang District Police Office said that the health camp organized for tourists will last one week. At present, Mustang experiences a surge in domestic and Indian pilgrims. According to DSP Pandey, many domestic pilgrims have traveled to Mustang for Sombare Aunsi (new moon night on Monday). Similarly, a significant number of Indian pilgrims have also visited Muktinath. According to him, nearly 9,000 domestic and Indian pilgrims arrived in Mustang on Sunday to visit Muktinath on Sombare Aunsi, leading to overcrowding.

DSP Pandey said that to mitigate the risk of altitude sickness, the authorities have set up a health camp for the pilgrims of Muktinath. According to him, two doctors from the hospital have traveled to Mustang to conduct health checkups at the camp organized by the Gandaki Province Police Hospital and District Police Office, Mustang, for a week.

According to him, 70 people including 40 men and 30 women were examined on the first day of the camp. “We have started health checks to make sure that none of the tourists have any health problems because they are going on a religious visit,” he said.

According to him, the doctors have paid attention to measuring the oxygen level in the bodies of the tourists at the camp and examining the patients for asthma, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Anyone can be at risk of altitude sickness.

He said that this campaign was started to create awareness after the death of pilgrims due to altitude sickness while traveling to visit the Muktinath Temple in Mustang. According to DSP Pandey, 27 people have died in Mustang in the last two and a half years - 19 Indian nationals, six Nepalis, and one each from Ukraine and Thailand.

He also said that among the 27 individuals, who died in the two and a half years, 14 were women and 13 were men.

To raise awareness of altitude sickness, the police, including tourist police at the Ghasa and Jomsom entrance gates, have been conducting awareness programs. They advise tourists to undergo health tests if they have any medical conditions and suggest staying at least one night in Jomsom to reduce the risk.

The ease of road access has increased the tendency of tourists to rush their visits within a day, increasing the risk of altitude sickness. Pandey mentioned that the incidents might increase if tourism operators serving tourists do not become more aware of these risks.