Sabarimala: A group of doctors who served at Sabarimala during the festival season in the early nineties set up a permanent centre for treating pilgrims with cardiac ailments. They established the Sree Ayyappa Health Amenities Society (SAHAS) cardiology centre at Sannidhanam in 1995 with the help of donations and the land given by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
During the last two decades, the SAHAS has treated thousands of sick devotees. The state government provides it with doctors and staff nurses.
Dr C.S.R. Naidu served as chief medical officer of SAHAS for the longest period from 1993 till 2010 and Dr M.K Sasidharan Pillai is the first secretary.
Present CMO Dr O. Vasudevan told DC said that of the 54 serious cardiac cases they treated, only one person had died. “On Tuesday and Thursday, two critical patients from Tamil Nadu were admitted and our doctors saved them with timely treatment,” he said.
The SAHAS, which is working 24 hours with a full-fledged ICU and lab facilities, also has a centre at Sopanam to identify devotees with potential risk of cardiac arrest. “In 2010-11, we conducted a survey which revealed that most of the cardiac cases happened after the darshan. That’s why we kept a post near the flag post at Sopanam which helps in giving timely treatment. We pick the devotees after closely monitoring them during the climbing of 18 steps,” the CMO added.
The SAHAS is presently working only during the season. However, the governing body is planning to open the centre every month from May this year when the temple opens for pooja. A trauma care unit is also on cards.
