Patients Struggle at Hyderabad Wellness Centres Due to Poor Services
In Hyderabad, wellness centres are falling short of expectations, leaving patients frustrated and struggling to get proper treatment. A combination of issues, including a shortage of medicines, the absence of specialist doctors, and unprofessional staff behavior, has created a negative experience for those seeking care. Patients visiting the wellness centre near Khairatabad have reported several problems, including long waiting times and inadequate facilities.
One common complaint is the lack of specialist doctors, such as cardiologists, which forces patients with specific health issues to seek treatment elsewhere. Additionally, the centres are often overcrowded, with people waiting for hours to see a doctor. Patients also feel mistreated by the staff, who some claim act disrespectfully, as though the patients are receiving free services.
Shortage of Medicines Worsens the Situation
A major concern at the Khairatabad wellness centre is the unavailability of essential medicines. Kishore Singh (name changed), a heart patient, shared his troubling experience. He was prescribed Tonact 80 by the doctor, but the pharmacy provided a substitute called Atorem 40 and advised him to take double the dosage. Similarly, another prescribed medicine, Torplat 90 mg, was replaced with a substitute called Tiare. Kishore expressed frustration, saying, “It is important for heart patients to get the exact medicines prescribed by the doctor.”
Another patient highlighted an issue with thyroid medication. Instead of providing a full bottle of tablets, the pharmacy handed out loose tablets due to a shortage and asked the patient to return later to collect more. This practice has inconvenienced many patients, as they have to make multiple trips to the centre to obtain their complete prescriptions.
Patients Forced to Leave Without Proper Treatment
The wellness centre also has a Community Health Centre (CHC) where patients are supposed to stay for treatment. However, patients like K. Vijay Kumar reported that they are often sent home with medicines instead of receiving the necessary care at the centre. This practice raises concerns about the quality of treatment being provided.
Health Minister’s Efforts to Address the Problem
Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narsimha has instructed officials to address the medicine shortage by sending indents to procure the required drugs. However, patients say that the staff appears indifferent to the minister’s directives, as one or more essential medicines are still frequently unavailable.
Officials have assured that the situation will improve once the government sets up Central Medicine Stores (CMS) in every district. These centralized stores are expected to streamline the supply of medicines to wellness centres across the region.
For now, patients continue to face challenges at these centres, hoping for quicker action to resolve the ongoing issues.
