All 41 workers are healthy, says Uttarakhand tunnel rescue Nodal Health Officer

Dr. Bimlesh Joshi, Nodal Officer Health of Silkyara aescue operation in Uttarakhand, said all 41 rescued workers are currently healthy at Chinyalisaur's Community Health Centre and their health screening has been done twice after the rescue. Preparations are underway to send everyone to AIIMS Rishikesh and everyone will be sent by Chinook helicopter, he said.

Chinyalisaur (Uttarakhand) : After screening and a health checkup at Chinyalisaur's Community Health Centre, 41 workers who were successfully rescued from the Silkyara Tunnel are found healthy, said Dr. Bimlesh Joshi, Nodal Officer Health of Rescue operation.

"All 41 workers are currently healthy; their health screening has been done twice after the rescue, first inside the tunnel last night and second this morning. A team of 18 doctors at the Community Health Centre of Chinyalisaur has been monitoring his health since last night, out of which 10 are GDMOs and the remaining 8 are specialists, which include all types of specialists. Apart from this, there is a paramedical staff. There is a total staff of around 50, he said that since last night, all 41 labourers have been given a balanced diet, which includes paneer, boiled egg, kheer, roti, vegetables and rice" Dr. Bimlesh Joshi said.

"Preparations are underway to send everyone to AIIMS Rishikesh; everyone will be sent by Chinook helicopter, and their family members can be sent by ambulance or any other vehicle. Although the workers do not need to be admitted to the hospital, they will be kept under safe-side observation," Bimlesh Joshi added.

According to government sources, all the workers admitted to the health centre are being given food as per the doctors' advice. Earlier, after the successful rescue of 41 workers from the Silkyara tunnel on Tuesday evening, Dr Pravin Kumar, Health Director of Garhwal Division, in charge of the rescue operation, highlighted that constant communication with the trapped workers helped in maintaining their mental health stability.

Pravin Kumar mentioned that both Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the state health minister were consistently present at the site, and health teams kept boosting the morale of the trapped workers.

"Our state health minister and chief minister were constantly present here at the tunnel site. From the very first day, our teams were trying to boost their morale and were trying to establish contact with the trapped workers," he said. "Whatever food items can be sent through the pipe were being sent, and our teams kept boosting their morale, and this is why the workers are in good mental state after being rescued," he added.

When asked about the health challenges workers faced while they were trapped, Dr. Pravin Kumar said, "The workers were not diagnosed with any major ailments. Some of the workers faced difficulty passing urine and allergies, and we treated them accordingly. Water, juice, and food were constantly provided to the workers."

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