In a major preparedness move for the upcoming Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara, one of Asia's largest tribal festivals, the Telangana health department has established a comprehensive medical infrastructure at Medaram. The department aims to ensure the health and safety of the millions of devotees expected to throng the sacred site.
Core Medical Infrastructure at the Festival Site
The centerpiece of the medical arrangements is the 50-bed main hospital named 'Sri Sammakka Saralamma Vaidya Shala'. This facility has been set up at the TTD Kalyana Mandapam in Medaram. To support this central unit and cater to high-footfall areas, the authorities have also established two six-bed mini hospitals. These are strategically located at Jampanna Vagu and the English Medium School.
Furthermore, a network of 30 peripheral medical camps has been activated within the main jatara premises. Officials reported that three of these camps, located at the gaddelu (altars), Jampanna Vagu, and the RTC bus stand, have already begun operations due to the early arrival of pilgrims.
Extensive Medical Coverage on All Access Routes
Understanding that pilgrims travel from far and wide, the health department has extended its coverage beyond the core site. A total of 42 additional medical camps have been set up along the eight major routes leading to Medaram. The breakdown of these route-based camps is as follows:
- Nine camps on the Hanamkonda–Medaram route.
- Six camps each on the Kataram–Bhupalpally–Kalvapalli and Chhattisgarh–Medaram routes.
- Five camps each on the Bhadrachalam–Medaram and Bhupalpally–Medaram routes.
- Four camps each on the Gundala–Kothagudem–Medaram and Gandhi Nagar X Road–Medaram routes.
- Three camps on the Kondai–Medaram route.
Massive Manpower and Emergency Response Readiness
The scale of the medical deployment is monumental. The health department has mobilized a force of 3,199 medical staff, which includes a dedicated contingent of 544 doctors. They are supported by 2,150 paramedical personnel. For handling emergencies and critical patient transfers, a fleet of 35 ambulances has been positioned on standby.
For advanced medical care, the Mulugu Government General Hospital (GGH) and the MGM Hospital in Warangal have been officially designated as referral centres. Both hospitals have been placed on high alert to receive any cases requiring specialized attention from the jatara site.
Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha personally reviewed the entire preparedness plan in a video conference with officials on Saturday. The minister directed the team to adopt a 'zero-compromise' approach towards the health and safety of every pilgrim. He instructed the Director of Public Health, Dr. Ravinder Naik, to immediately visit Medaram and conduct a thorough field-level inspection to ensure all arrangements are perfectly in place before the festival begins.
