HYDERABAD: As a boy, Nayeem Pasha spent more time in hospital corridors than on playgrounds, watching his father battle multiple illnesses without the safety net of money. The helplessness of those years never left him. Instead, it shaped his life’s work.
In 2005, he founded Kriya Sangh Society (KSS), determined that no one should be denied treatment for want of funds. Seven years ago, that resolve took concrete shape in Rasoolpura, where the KSS Charitable Health Centre now treats nearly 3,000 patients every month.
For 68-year-old Ramesh Kumar, a retired worker from Rasoolpura, the clinic has been life-changing. Struggling with chest pain and breathlessness, he had earlier travelled long distances to private hospitals he could scarcely afford. At KSS, he consulted a cardiologist for Rs 20 and underwent an ECG and 2D Echo at minimal cost. “Now my treatment is regular and under control. This clinic is a blessing for poor senior citizens like me,” he tells TNIE.
The health centre is staffed by 11 doctors and a nurse, offering physiotherapy, pulmonology, dermatology, paediatrics, ophthalmology and ENT services. The Rs 20 consultation fee includes medicines — a deliberate choice, Pasha says. “When patients pay, they do not feel they are receiving charity. They walk in, pay, get treated and leave with self-respect,” he explains. Diagnostic tests such as MRI, CT scans and X-rays are provided at a 60% discount through tie-ups with corporate hospitals, while critical cases are referred for advanced care.
For 55-year-old Shabana Begum, a domestic worker with a chronic respiratory condition, the difference is simple. “Private hospitals charge upto Rs 500 just to see a doctor. Here, I pay Rs 20 and get medicines too. More than that, the doctors listen to us patiently. We are treated with respect,” she says.
Mohammed Rahman, 70, from Bowenpally, who sought treatment for knee pain and heart-related issues, echoes the sentiment. “The doctors treat everyone equally without discrimination.”
Healthcare, however, is only one arm of KSS. The organisation works across health, education, skill and livelihood development, and relief and rehabilitation. Over the years, 13,400 women have been trained in tailoring, data entry and beautician courses, with around 300 now earning independently. KSS has renovated four government schools, supports marginalised students with remedial coaching and financial aid, and serves 150 free lunches daily in Rasoolpura.
Supported by around 300 volunteers and funded through crowdfunding, government bodies, private hospitals and partner NGOs, KSS has grown into a community anchor.