HYDERABAD: Even as Covid-19 cases are rising in the city, social distancing was the last thing on people’s minds during the inauguration of two Basthi Dawakhanas by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao on Friday.
A large, jostling crowd including elected representatives, political leaders and local residents, most of them without masks, gathered at the opening of the Basthi Dawakhana at Sultan Nagar in Erragadda and another at Yadgiri Nagar Community Hall in Rahmath Nagar.
When the Minister arrived to inaugurate the health centres, hundreds of people including local political leaders pushed each other at the venues with scant regard for social distancing. At Sultan Nagar especially, very few people wore masks. Police present at both the centres could not control the public and tried to push them away so that they did not come too close to Rama Rao.
After inaugurating the Basthi Dawakhanas, the Minister in the presence of GHMC Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath and Medical and Health Principal Secretary, Shanti Kumari interacted with doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. Rama Rao got his temperature and BP checked. Stating that the government was committed to serving the poor, he expressed happiness over the overwhelming response to the 123 Basti Dawakhanas which mainly cater to the urban poor.
Ministers open other centres
To extend primary health services to urban poor free of cost, 45 Basthi Dawakhanas were opened in the city on Friday. Deputy Speaker Padma Rao, Ministers Mahmood Ali, T Srinivas Yadav, the Mayor, MLAs and Corporators inaugurated these health centres.Run by the GHMC, each Basthi Dawakhana will cater to approximately from 5,000-10,000 people. These clinics will stay open from 9 am to 4 pm.
Services offered
Medical services to be provided in Basthi Dawakhanas include OPD consultation, basic lab diagnosis, free drugs, treatment of acute simple illness, immunisation services, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, counselling and contraception services. Screening for anaemia as well for non-communicable diseases such as BP, blood sugar, cancer, health promotion activities.
GHMC slaps fine of Rs 20K on Erragadda corporator
Hyderabad: Erragadda division AIMIM Corporator Shaheen Begum was slapped with a fine of `20,000 by the GHMC on Friday for putting up a large number of flexi banners. Her husband and former corporator Md Shareef was also slapped with a fine of `1,000 fine for attending the inaugural ceremony of a Dawakhana in Erragadda without wearing mask