GHMC Residents Want PHCs, Basti Dawakhanas to Work 24/7 Due to Seasonal Illness

Telangana residents are requesting that the government-run Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), and Basti Dawakhana round the clock, or at the very least extend the hours up to 10 p.m. for a few days since seasonal illnesses are at their height in the state. 

PHCs and UPHCs in rural regions, as well as Basti Dawakhana in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

People in rural regions depend on PHCs or district hospitals for minor diseases, while those suffering from severe ailments would go to district hospitals. Most PHCs, UPHCs, and Basti Dawakhana do not have enough physicians or personnel to operate the health centres if the hours are increased. The government had planned to fill vacancies in all PHCs, and the then-Health Minister Eatala Rajender conducted a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials in 2020 regarding new recruitment in PHCs to improve the Health Department, but the process was put on hold following his resignation. 

The residents also demanded that the number of PHCs and UPHCs in rural Telangana be increased in accordance with the population. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Telangana has just 885 government health centres, 636 of which are primary health centres and 249 of which are urban primary health centres.

According to state government data, Hyderabad City has around 85 UPHCs for its population, but Medchal Malkajgiri district has just 12 Primary Health Centres for its 3,81,744 rural and 5,21,080 slum population. The district's urban population is 28,03,084. People in various locations claim that doctors in PHCs will depart the centre after lunch.

According to health officials, there have been calls to open PHCs at night. Following Covid, the department is working on it and has had numerous conversations about it. After fresh recruitments, operating health centres around the clock will be possible, and residents across the state will have access to health centres around the clock.