Hyderabad, Nov 13 (IANS): The network of Basti Dawakhanas, or neighbourhood clinics, in Hyderabad and its outskirts saw a major expansion on Thursday with the 24 new centres being opened in a single day.
Ministers and local legislators inaugurated the facilities in Hyderabad and adjoining districts of Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri.
Health Minister E. Rajender, Home Minister Mohammed Mehmood Ali, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao, Labour Minister Malla Reddy, Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and MLAs inaugurated the new Basti Dawakhanas at various places under the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
With this, the number of Basti Dawakhanas in GHMC increased to 224. The government plans to increase it to 300 soon.
These centres are proving a boon for the poor, offering them quality healthcare and free treatment.
Launched two-and-half years ago, these centres are offering free medicines, consultation, specialist services, diagnostic tests and even telemedicine facilities.
An initiative of the Telangana government and the National Urban Health Mission, Basti Dawakhanas were launched in April 2018 and since then they have been offering the healthcare services to people nearly at their doorsteps.
These centres provide 53 different kinds of free services, such as outpatient consultation, medicines, basic lab diagnosis, antenatal/postnatal care, and screening for non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes.
The Basti Dawakhanas conduct nearly 5,000 types of tests. Even dengue and malaria are tests being conducted at these centres.
According to officials, every Basti Dawakhana registers over 100 outpatients a day.
The services at Basti Dawakhanas immensely benefited the urban poor during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially during the lockdown and when in the subsequent period when there was a spurt in number of cases.
As people were scared of visiting hospitals due to fear of contracting virus, they approached Basti Dawakhanas near their homes for treatment of common ailments.
Those who did not want to visit even these centres, availed their telemedicine services.