HYDERABAD: In a bid to bring affordable healthcare to the masses, the GHMC is planning to set up 32 more Basthi Dawakhanas in Hyderabad. These ULB-led community clinics have been playing a pivotal role in public healthcare. Encouraged by the public response, the GHMC, along with the Medical and Health Department, is aiming to operate 300 such clinics, with two in each division.
Recognising the role played by Basthi Dawakhanas during Covid time, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had stressed on having more clinics in the city. These community-level clinics, apart from providing essential healthcare services, also functioned as a primary response centre during the pandemic by providing testing facilities.
Bridging the gap between healthcare needs and available resources, these clinics function in community halls, government buildings and are also situated in slums and colonies. The existing 226 Dawakhanas are focused on serving the economically marginalised population and provide almost 50 free services to them. Additionally, they also provide screening for non-communicable diseases such as BP, blood sugar and cancer.
Launched in 2018, GHMC’s Basthi Dawakhanas are the first ULB-led community clinics initiative aimed at strengthening primary healthcare. On an average, these centres receive 90 to 100 OPD cases each day. A total of 20,000 citizens receive OP services on a daily basis and the government has instructed officials to ensure that every division with a significant population in GHMC limits should have two Dawakhanas.
Basthi Dawakhanas will also be established at the 2BHK Dignity Housing Colonies. Depending on the spatial distribution of the population, the clinics will cater to approximately 5,000 to 10,000 people.Each wellness centre is monitored by a medical officer, staff nurse and one support staffer. The civic body has also set up a tele-consultation facility with specialists from the Tata Trust that offer an array of consultation.