Hyderabad: Nearly one in five sanctioned posts across Telangana ’s 476 Basti Dawakhanas (urban community health centres) remain vacant, according to the data tabled by the health department in the assembly recently.
Of the total 1,428 sanctioned posts comprising a doctor, a staff nurse and a supporting staff per each Basti Dawakhana, only 1,150 have been filled, with 278 positions, amounting to nearly 20%, remaining vacant.
A nurse from the Old City said that during the launch of a Basti Dawakhana, staff had handheld devices and free Wi‑Fi, but now there has been no internet for over a year. Indents for medicines and tests go unanswered for days by the central drug stores,” said the source. Recruitment alone is not enough: months-long salary delays and shortages of essential medicines must be fixed urgently,” said Dr Karthik Nagula, president of the Health Reforms Doctors Association.
Sources claim that the centres are grappling with acute staff shortages, delayed salaries, and chronic medicine and diagnostic supply gaps, forcing many patients to turn to costly private pharmacies and labs. “There’s no internet for app entries, telemedicine or E‑Aushadhi. Sometimes patients come for monthly medicines, find them out of stock, and blame us. Health experts highlighted that nurse shortages are particularly concerning as they handle several frontline functions, including patient assessment, basic procedures, health education and follow-up of patients with chronic diseases. “The govt must run regular, time-bound recruitment drives and keep category-wise waiting lists to fill vacancies quickly.
