Telangana government turning health sub-centres into Palle Dawakhanas

The Palle Dawakhanas are providing services like general consultation, diagnosis, BP check-up and screening for cancer and 14 types of tests

Warangal: With the State government’s decision to expand healthcare services to remote areas to cater to the needs of the poor, the health sub-centres are getting a facelift as they are being upgraded as health and wellness centres to be known as Palle Dawakhanas.

The government is making efforts to upgrade sub-centres into Palle Dawakhanas in a phased manner and is constructing pucca buildings for the sub-centres by allocating Rs 16 lakh to 20 lakh to each sub-centre.

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The State government sanctioned Rs 13.64 crore for the construction of the sub-centres in three phases in Warangal district. As part of this, a building with four rooms is constructed to provide medical services to the people living in the nearby villages and hamlets.

District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Venkataramana said they were recruiting MBBS, BAMS and licensed mental health professional (LMHP) as medical officers to work in Palle Dawakhanas. Two ANMs and ASHA workers also will work under each Palle Dawakhana.

While there are 14 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and 118 sub-centres, the State government has converted 82 sub-centres into health and wellness centres. Construction of 39 sub-centres was already taken up, and sub-centres at Sannur of Rayaparthi mandal and Itikalapally of Narsampet mandal were completed. The construction of sub-centres at Chennaraopet, Konapuram, Upparapally, and Laknepally is at the final stage, while the officials are getting ready to take up the tendering process for the construction of 30 more sub-centres.

On the other hand, the government is also constructing eight wellness centres with Rs 18 lakh each in Parvathagiri mandal under Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM).

In Mulugu district, 51 sub-centres were converted into wellness centres, and medical officers were appointed at these centres. “On an average 40 patients are visiting the Palle Dawakhanas every day. Vaccines are given to the children on every Wednesday,” said DMHO Dr Allem Appaiah.

Meanwhile, the government sanctioned Rs 8 crore for the construction of 40 sub-centres in Bhupalpally district. There are a total of 91 sub-centres in the district. 21 of them have already got buildings.

In Jangaon district, 62 Palle Dawakhanas are being set up. While buildings have been sanctioned for 35 sub-centres, construction is going on for 20 sub-centres. The government has recently sanctioned 20 buildings additionally for the sub-centres.

The Palle Dawakhanas are providing services like general consultation, diagnosis, BP check-up and screening for cancer and 14 types of tests. Apart from consultation, patients will be provided free medicines.