Hyderabad: As Covid cases tumble in city, function halls set to buzz again

Hyderabad: Thanks to the declining Covid-19 case and easing lockdown norms that the civic body vacated function halls in the city and outskirts that were converted as Covid care centre and vaccinations centres. The vaccination drives are now being organised at the community halls, government area hospitals and mobile vaccination vans.

During the month of April and May, to control the surging Covid-19 cases the government converted function halls into Covid isolation centres, Covid Care centres and vaccination centres. But now as the city is witnessing less number of cases after a month of strict lockdown, the civic body has vacated the halls and shifted the vaccine centres to Urban Primary Healthcare Centre, community halls and also sanctioned custom-made mobile vaccination vans.

Meanwhile, as the State was witnessing shortage of beds, especially oxygen and ventilator beds, the State government's prompt action for providing the temporary hospital in order to give relief to Covid patients. A large number of function halls, banquet halls were transformed into care centres. One such 100-bed Covid care centre was established in Premier function hall at Pahadishareef under the Jalpally Municipality including many in Charminar, Tolichowki, Karwan and Nampally.

According to Jalpally Municipality Commissioner, the temporary Covid care centre was established on May 2, and was there for almost 2 months. During April and May, the centre housed several Covid patients and also conduted vaccination drives. "During this period, the centre saved as many as 280 lives of the Covid patients. Now as the cases have declined and the centre has no patient, the Municipality has vacated the function hall on Wednesday. And might be set up again in case of emergency," said G P Kumar, Commissioner Jalpally municipality.

Similarly, the function halls which were converted into the centres in Malakpet, Tolichowki, Karwan, Charminar, Bahadurpura, Nampally were also vacated. The vaccination centre which was running in Sana function at Charminar and SA Imperial function hall in Tolichowki, Banquet hall at Malakpet was shifted to area UPHCs, another vaccination drive was shifted to government high school Jahanuma in Nawabsahab Kunta. Meanwhile another centre was inaugurated in Boys Town School in Jahanuma. MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan Thursday inaugurated the centre at SultanShahi playground.

"The vaccination drive which was running at SA Imperial was shifted to Madarsa Miskatul-Uloom in Hakeempet and custom-made mobile vaccination vans will be reaching every day in each locality," said Naseeruddin, Nanal Nagar division Corporator.