Mumbai: The first verdict from international health experts stationed at the Kumbh Mela to record diseases among pilgrims has been positive. The team, comprising mainly medical doctors from Harvard University in Massachusetts, is “largely impressed” with the orderliness of the Mela and the lack of any major disease outbreak there. However, the caveats follow. “The systems are indeed streamlined. But while there are parts that worked, some didn’t,” said Dr Satchit Balsari, who led the team of 25-odd doctors from Harvard University’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights to Allahabad. The team found that even though ambulances were in place, their pathways were blocked. Smoke from ‘choolahs’ was the largest cause for respiratory illnesses among the 15,000-odd patients who had visited the various hospitals so far. “Pilgrims use cow dung or firewood to light afire, resulting in over 23% of patients seeking medication for a cough,” said team member Dr Michael Vortmann. A few team members said that the Kumbh could be better managed if such “minor” issues were ironed out. The team cited other instances where better management was called for. Dr Dhruv Kazi, a Mumbaiborn cardiologist from San Francisco General Hospital, found a senior citizen collapsing right next to him. “I was glad to find an advanced life-support ambulance nearby, but the paramedics didn’t have the key to the oxygen tank,” he said. Moreover, the crowds were unwilling to make way for the ambulance. “It took us 40 minutes to reach a health centre that was 5km away,” he said. The main objective of the Harvard teamwas to map patterns of diseases, water distribution, sanitation and disaster management plans. The university plans to publish a research paper highlighting public health concerns during mass gatherings and migrations. The first reaction of the team was the amazement at the degree of organization. “The street lights, water supply, sanitation, crowd control, security and hospitals would be impressive anywhere. But the fact that this is all temporary makes it an absolutely astounding feat,” said the doctors. The team’s goal was to prove that it is not difficult to gather data in resource-scarce settings. Using a handful of iPads, the team mapped 15,000 patients who visited the various hospitals. “If we can do it, the government can certainly do it,” said Dr Kazi.