The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has approved the Standard Related to the Management of Altitude Sickness in High-Hill and Himalayan Regions, 2083 (BS), issued under Section 64 of the Public Health Service Act, 2075. Nagarik News, Onlinekhabar and Ratopati report that it is meant to ensure altitude sickness among trekkers, tourists, mountaineers and local residents is identified and treated in time. Left untreated, the illness can lead to pulmonary and cerebral oedema, which can be life-threatening, the reports say.
According to the reports, the standard requires health institutions in high-hill and Himalayan areas to keep oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, hyperbaric chambers (Gamow bags), emergency equipment and essential medicines. It prioritises gradual ascent, enough time to acclimatise, plenty of fluids and not going higher once symptoms appear, and provides for descent, oxygen and pressure bags for patients.
The federal government is responsible for policy, standards, human resources, budget and monitoring; provincial governments for health-worker capacity and technical support; and local governments for access to services, essential medicines and supplies, and patient referral.
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The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has approved a standard for preventing and treating altitude sickness in high-hill and Himalayan areas, including equipment that health facilities there must keep.
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