Hyderabad: Calls to resume ops at Charminar Dawakhana

Hyderabad: Designated as a Covid quarantine centre, Government Nizamia General Hospital (Unani) has not been able to attend to general patients who are coming from far to get treatment for various ailments at the famous unani hospital. With doors shut on them, they are painfully embarking on a return journey.

Nizamia Government General Hospital famous as Charminar Dawakhana was turned into a quarantine center for Coronavirus patients in the month of March. Since then it has been turning away general patients. After lockdown relaxations, the Unani-preferring patients have started visiting the hospital in hopes of getting relief from their conditions. "It has been more than 2 months and no virus suspected patients have been admitted in hospital and it lying is vacant. Only Covid-19 testing is being done at present," said hospital sources. They feel helpless as general patients are pleading with the officials to resume services. Government Nizamia General Hospital is the only Unani hospital in city with In-patient ward and on an average 1,200 out-patients would visit hospital for consultation and more than 150 gynaecology cases are reported a day. This 180-bedded hospital is used to be almost full. As it is closed, most of the patients are consulting doctors on call, but for therapy they must visit the hospital, informed source.

Abdul Raheemuddin, a paralytic patient, asked, "Even after more than two months since unlock 1.0, no virus suspected patients were admitted in hospital. Why is then the hospital not allowed to treat its regularsvisitors?" He said even now he was asked to return after a few weeks. "We paralytic patients are facing severe hardships as the treatment of therapy and massage has been being pending for these many months and are forced to undergo therapy at private hospitals which are charging huge amounts," he rued. Most of the patients are disappointed while returning and say when every hospital is treating general patients, why is that the Unani hospital is turning them back.

Sadiq, a facial paralytic patient, said he had been visiting hospital for the last month for consultation. He was undergoing treatment in hospital before lockdown and was discharged. My condition was being cured by Unani medicines and massage, but delay in treatment is causing original conditions to recur," he worried. He visited the hospital on Tuesday as well, but was sent back.