Telangana government okays 5 DMHOs for Hyd to shore up healthcare

Hyderabad: With an aim to enhance the primary healthcare system in the city, the Telangana government on Thursday issued orders sanctioning five DMHOs for the people of Greater Hyderabad.

The Health Minister T Harish Rao had formed a special committee with the aim of reinforcing the Directorate of Public Health, which delivers essential healthcare services to the public. The government has approved the committee’s proposals, leading to the issuance of GO No 142 on Thursday. This directive marks the initiation of a systematic rationalization of human resources within the Directorate of Public Health, ensuring appropriate medical staff allocation based on patient needs.

Earlier, Hyderabad, with its population exceeding one crore, had only one District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), the government responded proactively and approval was granted for the establishment of five new DMHOs. These five DMHOs will be strategically located in Charminar, LB Nagar, Serilingampally, Kukatpally, Khairatabad, and Secunderabad GHMC zones, resulting in a total of six DMHOs under GHMC and 38 across the State.

Acknowledging disparities in staffing among the 636 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), the government reorganised PHCs to ensure uniform distribution of resources. Additionally, in the newly formed 40 mandals, primary health centres have been sanctioned by the government. Previous PHCs in 30 mandals were upgraded to hospitals, with community Health Centres (CHCs) previously overseeing outreach activities.

To strengthen the 235 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) across the State, a decision was taken to hire sufficient staff.

In a strategic move, dental assistant surgeons have been included in the services of TVVP (Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad) hospitals. Government TB Hospital in Ananthagiri, Vikarabad district, has now been placed under the oversight of the Director of Medical Education. In a significant transition, 1,712 posts were designated as supernumerary roles, enhancing resource utilization.

Importantly, the Multipurpose Health Assistant (Female) cadre remains unaffected by this rationalization, ensuring stability amidst changes. This comprehensive process, spanning three months, underscores the government's dedication to aligning resources with patient needs.