Mahabubangar: Wellness Centres of government turn blind eye towards patients

The purpose of 'Wellness centres' is getting watered down as the retired government employees and journalists are facing tough time as they are not able to get access to necessary healthcare services and medicines in Mahbubnagar district.

In fact, way back in 2017, the State government had issued a G.O 98 and accordingly established exclusive wellness centres for providing free healthcare services to retired employees and journalists across Telangana. As part of this, the State government had established 14 Wellness centres across the State and one of them was also established in Mahabubnagar district.

Though during the initial days, the Wellness health centres worked as per the norms set and enabled the retired employees and journalists to get access good quality primary health services free of cost, but eventually, the patients visiting these wellness centres are facing tough time. Most of the patients are complaining that they are not able to get all necessary medicines prescribed by the doctors at the Wellness centre pharmacies and they are forced to go out to buy the medicines from private medical shops.

Moreover, the Wellness centre which is being run in the old Collectorate premises is facing acute staff shortage as it is at present run by two general physicians, two dentists, and one doctor each in the Orthopaedic, Physiotherapy and Diabetic sections at the Wellness centre in Mahabubangar district.

The Wellness centre still needs to have one more doctor and two more assistant staff to serve the daily increasing patient load at the centre.

"At present we are having a temporary shortage of medicines at the Wellness centre. Even though we have already sent proposals to the government to provide number of medicines as per the patients requirements, however this is going to take some more time and we are expecting it by January next year," observed Dr. Prashanti, In Charge of Mahabubangar Wellness Centre.

It is also learnt that the diagnostic tests at the Wellness centre are taking 3-4 days for getting the results of blood samples of the patients. This delay is mainly caused due to inadequate staff at the diagnostic centre and more over the number of samples given by the patients on daily basis has also increased causing heavy work load on the current staff.

Majority of patients, particularly the retired employees are complaining that essential medicines for diabetes, blood pressure and vitamin tablets are not available at the Wellness centre. Before Covid pandemic, more than 300 patients used to visit the Wellness centre, at present only 100-120 patients are visiting and even these patients are not able to get the necessary medicines and proper treatment.

"If the doctors at the Wellness centre are prescribing 6 types of medicines, only 2-3 varieties of medicines are available at the pharmacy, while for the remaining ones we are asked to buy from outside. We are spending around Rs. 500 to 700 for medicines at the private medical shops," said Venkateshwarlu, a journalist from Mahabubnagar.

In view of this, the public are demanding the concerned officials to immediately provide all necessary medicines at the centres and ensure the real purpose of setting up Wellness centre to serve the retired employees and journalists.