Patients suffer as Barkaslacks dialysis centres

Rangareddy: While the number of patients suffering from kidney ailments in the city and sub-urban areas is increasing rapidly, lack of facilities, like dialysis centres, especially in the south, is forcing people either to pay through the nose for a costly treatment in corporate hospitals or suffer in silence.

Eschewing any mention of lack of such facilities, especially in Barkas sector, that covers most of the southern enclave, will be unjust as this part of the city is considered a most impoverished habitat in terms of public healthcare services like hospitals with specialist doctors and more importantly dialysis centres that is said to be putting people of this section into grave hardship.

It is said that people, especially those suffering from kidney ailments, are forced to approach corporate hospitals where nephrology treatment is generally considered very costly.

According to official statistics, there are six upper primary health centres, including Bandlaguda, Barkas, Maisaram, Balagunj, Parvathinagar and Uppuguda, mainly to cover 3,89,137 people. Apart from these, there are only 16 ‘Basti Dawakhanas’ which meet needs of 1,12,523, said data secured from Urban Health Nutrition Centre (UHNC) Barkas.

Interestingly, for a population of over 3,05,516 there are only three Basti Dawakhanas. Similarly, Maisaram has five, Balaganj two, Uppuguda five and Parvathinagar only one. The Barkas area has no such facility, but a UCHC is there.

However, there is no facility for nephrology treatment anywhere in the sector to help patients suffering from kidney ailments. This area is said to have a significant number of patients who are either flocking to corporate hospitals for diagnosis and dialysis or suffering in silence.

The Barkas sector has 50 slums and 64 blighted areas full of families living below the poverty line.

“There are number of patients suffering from kidney ailments in the Barkas area, including old, young and children. A few even succumb to their illness while treatment at home or in hospitals away from their area as no dialysis centre is available to help the families get timely treatment,” rued EsaBahajjaj, co-ordinator, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee.

A dialysis centre was proposed a few years back at UCHC, Barkas, where a machine too was established, but is dysfunctional,’ he said, adding “the unit is not yet put used despite the number of patients or at risk is high.”

“There is a dire need of dialysis centres, especially in Barkas, as affected families are forced to travel to the city’s corporate hospitals and bear costly treatment that is taking a toll on their mental and financial health,” he added.