Hyderabad: People wary of visiting basti dawakhanas

Hyderabad: With the authorities opening Covid testing facilities at the Basti Dawakhanas and UPHCs (Urban Primary Health Care), the people stopped visiting these centres in fear of getting infected with Coronavirus.

As a result the footfall at these medical centres has been on the decline. It had observed that due to the fear of virus, the patients are not visiting these centers, as it also includes the testing of Covid-19. There are more than 30 odd testing centers which includes Basti Dawakhana, UPHC in the southern part of the city.

The GHMC aims to open at least 2 basti dawakhanas in each division. And more than 10 basti dawakhana were opened in August in Old city areas. But most of these centres also include the virus testing facility which kept patients away from visiting the dawakhanas.

"Observing the crisis everyone should be tested for covid, but this testing in basti dawakhana and area hospitals may affect the general patients and children who visit for consultation," said Amjeduddin, who came to consult for his child.

He said that he preferred to visit basti dawakhana which doesn't has the Covid testing facility.

According to a doctor at UPHC, daily on an average 50 patients are being consulted. "Earlier, around 200 patients used to visit the center for consultation, but the people had started avoided visiting since the virus testing was opened at the centres," said In-charge on condition of anonymity.

For conducting test for Covid-19 daily 40-60 patients are visiting the center and for positive patients medication is being provided.

Doctor also said that the UPHC will be running with full patients twice in a week, on Wednesday and Saturday which is for vaccinations. On these two days the testing of Covid-19 is closed. And the general patients also rushed for consultation," added doctor.

It has been observed that most of the people are visiting the medical centers which do not have virus testing. In some divisions the medical staff along with the Corporators decided and shifted the Covid-19 testing centers from Basti Dawakhanas and UPHCs to community halls.

"After the virus testing facilities were shifted, there has been an influx of patients at the medical centers. People from far away areas are visiting for consultation. Daily around 200 patients are visiting from different areas in non-covid testing centers," said Mohammed Saifuddin Shafi, Old Malakpet division Corporator.