MUSTANG: Thirteen tourists, including nine foreigners, have died from altitude sickness in Mustang during the first 10 and a half months of the current fiscal year, according to the District Police Office.
Police records show that the deceased include four Nepali tourists, three men and one woman, and nine foreign tourists, comprising seven men and two women. Most of the victims were visiting the district for pilgrimage to the sacred site of Muktinath Temple.
Police Inspector Santosh Basyal said the tourists died after suffering from altitude-related complications in Baragung Muktichhetra and Gharpajhong rural municipalities. They were pronounced dead while undergoing treatment at the Provincial Hospital in Jomsom.
According to police statistics, Indian nationals account for the majority of foreign tourists who died from altitude sickness in Mustang. Health officials say many visitors travelling directly from lowland areas to the high-altitude Himalayan district fail to take adequate precautions, increasing the risk of altitude-related illness.
Police Inspector Basyal said tourists often experience health complications due to low oxygen levels in areas above 3,000 metres above sea level.
Concerned agencies have been conducting awareness programmes to reduce the risks associated with high-altitude travel. The Provincial Public Health Office, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the Muktinath Development Committee, local governments and security agencies have been carrying out various awareness and prevention activities.
Warning signboards on altitude sickness have been installed at Ghansa in Thasang Rural Municipality-4, located on the border of Myagdi and Mustang along the Beni-Jomsom road corridor. ACAP Chief Rajesh Gupta said information boards have been placed at key tourist locations between Ghansa and Muktinath. The Provincial Public Health Office has also distributed brochures and informational materials on altitude sickness to visitors, according to Senior Public Health Officer Bidya Tamang.
To minimise health risks, hotels in the Muktinath area have stocked portable oxygen cylinders and medication used to treat altitude sickness, said Suraj Gurung, president of the Muktinath Hotel Association.
Despite these efforts, health workers say cases of altitude sickness remain common because many travel agencies and accommodation providers fail to adequately inform tourists about the risks of high-altitude travel. They also note that some tour operators take visitors directly to high-altitude destinations without allowing sufficient time for acclimatisation.
Medical experts recommend gradual ascent and adequate acclimatisation at different locations to reduce the risk of altitude sickness.
To support pilgrims and tourists visiting Muktinath, a High Altitude Treatment Centre has been established at the temple area by the Provincial Hospital, Jomsom, and Baragung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality.
Health Coordinator Khagendra Bohora said treatment services are available both within the Muktinath temple premises and at the rest area built by the Nepal Army along the stairway leading to the shrine.
Health officials say senior citizens, people with disabilities, individuals with chronic illnesses and those travelling directly from lowland regions are particularly vulnerable to altitude-related health problems.
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