Hyderabad: The Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Health and Wellness Centre) in Gopanpally, meant to offer free primary healthcare, remains crippled by infrastructure gaps. The centre lacks essential facilities—no usable washroom, no drinking water, no beds for patients and no proper entrance.The only washroom is a garbage dump. “We face a lot of trouble without a toilet,” said Varunika, the nurse posted at the centre. “There’s no water either. We bring our own drinking water,” she said.There are no chairs for visitors or beds for patients, yet the staff handles 50–60 patients daily, with around 40 types of medicines available. Pregnant patient J. Monica raised another concern: “The approach is a narrow lane. There’s no gate, just a one-and-a-half-foot gap we squeeze through.”The centre’s medical officer, Dr Dheeraj, is on leave. In his absence, Dr Abdul Wajid is attending, though locals allege he only marks attendance. “The nurse handles everything,” said a resident.District medical and health officer Dr Venkateswara Rao admitted the Gopanpally centre is in poor condition. He said the government has approved 75 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs—including Gopanpally—for Rs 20 lakh each to upgrade infrastructure, but the funds have yet to be released. “It’s sanctioned officially, but the financial approval is pending. Once received, work will begin,” Dr. Rao said.He also promised to look into the absenteeism allegations. Despite the promise of quality healthcare, patients and staff continue to operate in an environment without the most basic support.BY Prabhash Kumar
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