Hyderabad: After a gap of six long months, the state government finally appointed a doctor at the Urban Primary Health Center (UPHC) at Taleem Amlapur, Karwaan. For nearly half a year, scores of residents, especially the under privileged, had to seek medical care from the single nurse who was working there.
Karwan in Hyderabad is an area where a large population of underprivileged families reside. The UPHC in question receives over eighty patients every day. The single nurse who was working there alone was managing almost everything there. From checking a patient’s health to even giving prescription or medicine, everything relied on her.
The nurse, who did not want to be quoted, told Siasat.com said, “It was very difficult for me to manage work here. I am trained as a nurse, but I have been working as both as a doctor and a nurse even in this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite consistent pleas to the higher authorities, no one had bothered for so long.”
Thanks to the residents of the area who took this matter very seriously and held a week-long agitation, the health care center finally got a doctor. Osman Hameed Ali Hajri, social activist said, “After many complaints to the in-charge of the UPHC Dr. Srikanth, he finally appointed a doctor. It is shameful to see how even in times of COVID the government remained negligent towards the needs of citizens.”
Mehrun Fatima, who visited the hospital almost thrice in the last four months said, “Every time, I visited the hospital there was no doctor. The nurse gave me a couple of medicines and sent me back. I had no money to meet a doctor from the private sector or to go to a private hospital, so I managed with the medicine I was given.”