Antop Hill health post caters to over 100 patients everyday but lacks drinking water
Image: Indian Express
While the state of medical centers in the city is far from perfect, the BMC dispensary and health post located in the slums of Antop Hill is in dire need of attention.
According to an Indian Express report, the 300 square feet health post caters to an average of 100 patients everyday, with cases pertaining to fever, cough, malaria, TB medication, immunisation, vaccination and family planning counselling.
With the onset of monsoon, the number of patients is expected to double.
The tiny health post has a total of four rooms for the doctors to consult and examine patients. In addition to very little space for accommodating patients, the health post has no provision of drinking water.
According to Rindani Committee guidelines that BMC follows, there must be one dispensary for 50,000 people. With 173 dispensaries and 183 health posts, the city is short of 89 centres to meet the minimum requirement.
While addressing the current scenario of health posts in the city, executive health officer Dr Padmaja Keskar told Indian Express, “We are facing expansion problems in centres where there is no space, specially in slums.”
A provision of Rs 28 crore under National Urban Health Mission was made for improving infrastructure of city’s health posts this year.
