HYDERABAD: Medical camps, clearance of garbage, emergency cells and awareness campaigns are all on with the dengue scare in the city. However, one crucial element of the healthcare system in the city is yet to join the battle.

The 65 urban health centres (UHC) here have just bare minimum facilities to tackle any emergency situation. And these, given their locations and affordability, are where the poor and middle-class could ideally head for primary healthcare.

The truth is that UHCs have been so far utilised for family welfare campaigns and to offer basic healthcare to women and children. General outpatient services or even limited in-patient services have certainly not been their cup of tea. Adding to this is the absence of basic diagnostic facilities and medicines. Staff shortage has reduced the primary health care centres to skin and bones.

All this is when a proposal of the Hyderabad District Health authorities to upgrade UHCs is pending with the Government. The proposal seeks to provide these centres with general outpatient (OP) services, in-patient service with around six beds per UHC, an augmented staff, diagnostic facilities and an adequate stock of medicines.

"It will certainly be easier to tackle epidemics or outbreaks like dengue, chikungunya or jaundice if such ground-level healthcare centres are well-equipped," feels District Medical and Health Officer S. Satyavathi. The concept of enhancing facilities provided at UHCs was already being experimented with an evening OP service at five UHCs, viz., Parvatinagar, Aman Nagar, Karwan, Bholakpur and New Bhoiguda. The rest, however, depends on approval and implementation of the proposal, she admits.

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