Hyderabad: Good days for Charminar Dawakhana, Nizamia Tibbi

Hyderabad: Development and restoration works at historic Government Nizamia General Hospital (Charminar Dawakhana) and Nizamia Tibbi College, near Charminar, will be taken up. It would remain the best Unani hospital, said Health Minister T Harish Rao on Monday.

Inaugurating the booster dose vaccination at Charminar Dawakhana, he said that he had a discussion with the AYUSH director. along with the hospital and college staff, on development of both. AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, Charminar MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan and Yakutpura MLA, Ahmed Pasha Qadri, were present. They were administered with the booster dose.

According to the college staff, there is an utmost need for the government to repair the hospital. The building is in dilapidated condition. "It's turning bad to worse and posing a danger. The college and hospital staff gave a representation to the minister," said a staffer of the college.

Speaking on the occasion, Rao said the hospital has a long history. It has been serving since 1938 and is famous all over the country for its research on the Unani system. Still patients from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka are admitted for treatment. "There was a time when all beds in the hospital would be filled with patients; now hardly 60 patients are admitted. It will return to its past glory and remain the best Unani hospital."

He asked doctors not to shift cases or refer patients to OGH and try to treat them at the hospital. The State government is already filling doctor's post in each hospital and will also fill the posts in the hospital.

The minister said repair works of the college building, along with Ayurvedic hospital (which was shifted) rooms would be taken up at the earliest. Repairs to hostel building of both girls and boys will also be taken up. The digitalisation of library, which is pending, will also be completed, assured Rao.

However, the staff, on the condition of anonymity, said the hospital has no supply of Unani medicines since the first Covid lockdown. The patients were being asked to purchase medicines outside. "The hospital has 10 doctors, but still seven posts are vacant. The college has a total of 75 posts. Of them 20 have been filled--15 on contract basis and remaining 45 are vacant.

"There is no regular maintenance by the staff, including higher officers in both college and hospital. There will be no classes in the college. There should be biometric attendance for both the staff to run the college smoothly." There are over 90 PG scholars, but hardly any attend OP. However, the minister instructed the PG scholars to take care of outpatients at the hospital.