HYDERABAD: Public healthcare received a major boost on Friday as eight new diagnostic centres which will provide free services to people in GHMC, were inaugurated on Friday. These would provide a major respite for urban poor who generally visit private labs for tests.
Run by the State Health Department, these will cater to patients across 50 UPHCs and 36 Basti Dawakhanas. Key diagnostic tests like ultrasonography, radiology services such as blood sugar analysis, X-rays, ECG, and others will be provided free of cost. Named ‘Diagnostic Mini-Hubs’, these would be linked to eight Urban Community Health Centres (UCHCs) in the city.
“The main aim of these centres is to make healthcare affordable to the poor. At present, the common man has to either get these tests done in private labs or go to the major hospitals like Osmania and Gandhi Hospitals for free tests. These centres will ensure doctor’s evaluation as well as medical tests in one place,” said Health Minister Eatala Rajendar while inaugurating a mini-hub in Lalapet UCHC.
Telangana already has pathological or blood test centres in 319 Basti Dawakhanas, Urban Primary Health Centres, Area Hospitals, District Hospitals since 2018 catering to 10 lakh patients.
However, with this initiative, radio-diagnostic services will also reach every community health centre.
Several other ministers, including MAUD and IT Minister KT Rama Rao, inaugurated centres.
“These centres have been set up through Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s vision. If these find a good response in the GHMC limits, they will be expanded to all district centres,” said Rama Rao at the Sri Ram Nagar centre.