HYDERABAD: In an urgent need to bring medical care closer to weaker sections of the society, as many as 28 community halls belonging to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) would be taken over by department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare for setting up of Basthi Dawakhanas (Urban Health and wellness centres) in the city slums. Teams from GHMC and Health, Medical and Family Welfare department inspected the places and identified 28 community halls, which are feasible for establishing Basthi Dawakhana in five zones of GHMC.
These would be handed over to the health department for taking up required infrastructure works that are needed for setting up of urban health clinics. These include five centres in East zone covering Kapra, Uppal and Hayathnagar circles, nine in South zone covering Malakpet, Charminar and Rajendranagar circles, five in Central zone covering Goshamahal, Musheerabad and Amberpet circles, three in West zone covering Moosapet, and Kukatpally and six in North zone covering Alwal, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, and Begumpet circles. Of them, at least five centres proposed for opening during ensuing Sankranthi.
The Union Government has approved 50 health centres for the state under National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). The maximum number of those approved by the Union Government were allotted to GHMC. Initially, about 40 centres were proposed in at sub-centre level (slums) in GHMC area.
At present, there does not exist a sub-centre level mechanism in the urban areas. Primary Health care centres are the first point of contact for citizens. The proposed centres will facilitate and help citizens to access a formalised health care network in the slums, and night shelters.