Hyderabad: No entry for non-Kanti Velugu visitors at city health centres

Hyderabad: People visiting Urban Primary Health Centre's (UPHC) with various ailments apart from eye problems were sent back home as the UPHCs' are only focusing on Kanti Velugu programme.

To facilitate medical services to citizens across the twin cities, the State government set up Basti Dawakhanas, especially in slums, for the benefit of the poor and needy. But people visiting the healthcare centres were forced to approach private clinics as the doctors and other staff in UPHC are only focusing on Kanti Velugu.

According to the sources, though the staff of Kanti Velugu programme is separate, for the last few days people visiting healthcare centres with other ailments are not been treated. The entire staff present in the centre are focusing on Kanti Velugu. Hence other patients were seen retiring home disappointment without being treated and are forced to approach other local clinics for their treatment.

"As it was Wednesday, the day of infant immunisation, I visited the centre for immunisation of my baby, but they did not check and asked me to visit the centre next week," said Meherunissa Begum, who visited the UPHC at Puranapul. She said, "I am not sure whether my child will be given immunization next week also or not," she added.

Mohammed Ahmed, TDP Vice president Minority cell said in UPHCs located in Puranapul, Jambagh, Panjesha and other nearby localities the health staff in the centres asked the people about their ailments and if one with ophthalmology were allowed then the others were asked to visit later. This was also applied for the mother taking their babies for immunisation. "Scores of patients were seen returning back from UPHC and complained of not being consulted. However, the Kanti Velugu staff is separate and UPHC staff is separate. Then why are the other patients being sent back home without consultation?" he asked.

This issue is being faced in most of the UPHCs in the city. In each one of these UPHC, at least 80 patients visit for consultation and over 50 mothers take their baby for immunisation. But these people are forced to consult in private clinics and the baby's vaccines are delayed, as the UPHC doctors are only focusing on Kanti Velugu patients.

Siddharth Adke, a patient at Jambagh said that two times he visited the centre for consultation. "I was suffering from cold and fever, but the staff did not treat me and asked me to come later as they were busy with Kanti Velugu patients. I was forced to visit a local clinic for consultation," he added.

One of the staff at UPHC at Darulshifa confirmed that they had skipped the immunisation on Wednesday and said that they would be giving the immunisation on Thursday.