104 medical services in deplorable Telangana

Nizamabad: The 104 mobile services introduced to provide medical services in rural areas are dying a sad death.

The 104 medical services were launched in united Andhra Pradesh in 2008. These vehicles have been lying unused for many days. The government has also directed the district medical officers to auction off these vehicles. Nine 104 vehicles provide mobile medical facility to villagers in Kamareddy district. Similarly, there are eight 104 vehicles providing mobile medical services in Nizamabad district.

The Telangana State government has handed over the responsibility of auctioning them to the district Collector. In addition, the auction process involves the Department of Transportation, police officers, and additional Collectors.

The 104 vehicles were providing medicines for BP, diabetes, as well as other chronic diseases, in villages of Telangana for a decade.

Those suffering with chronic diseases in rural areas have previously been provided with medicines through 104 service. With the introduction of Primary Health Centers under Arogya Sri, villagers suffering from chronic diseases will have to approach to Primary Health Centers or Health Sub-Centers to avail medicines.

In erstwhile Nizamabad district, up to 480 medical camps were conducted per month with 104 mobile vehicles. In the last 12 years, about 5,762 medical camps have been organised in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts villages. Approximately 6,35,000 chronic patients in the district were provided with medical health check-ups and medicines through these medical camps. Currently, 104 services have been suspended for the past six months with the implementation of the Lifestyle Diseases Prevention Scheme.

It is learned that the government is all set to completely cancel 104 services as part of a programme to distribute medicines to households.