Basthi Dawakhanas to be opened across major cities in Telangana

Hyderabad: With the success of Basthi Dawakhanas in Hyderabad, the State government is planning to expand the services to other major cities across the State, Health Minister Eatala Rajender announced in the Assembly here on Wednesday.

Pointing out that these clinics were set up to cater to the needs of slums with more than 10,000 population, Rajender said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had sanctioned 350 Basthi Dawakhanas for Hyderabad of which around 225 were operationalised. “Considering the rising urban population, the Chief Minister suggested providing quality health services to the urban poor living in slums. He also suggested studying all health programmes extended in the country’s major cities.

Observing that the Delhi government’s Mohalla Clinics was an ideal model to emulate, we had launched the Basthi Dawakhanas, which became hugely popular,” he said.

The Minister said the Basthi Dawakhanas are strategically located to serve as urban primary healthcare centres for slum dwellers. Each clinic has a doctor, a staff nurse and an attender, and functions from 9 am to 4 pm every day. “We have already linked these Basthi Dawakhanas with the Telanagana Government Diagnostic Centres enabling patients to undergo a wide range of diagnostic tests free. About Rs 20,000 per month is being spent towards medicines in each clinic,” he added.