The government-owned Unani hospital near Charminar is in a sorry state. Its patients, the majority of them poor, complain that they are being forced to purchase medicines from outside even for simple ailments like fever. “I consulted a doctor at Unani Hospital for a gum infection, but the doctor, instead of giving me Unani medicines, prescribed allopathic medicines which I had to buy from outside. It happened again when I visited the hospital for a simple problem of hair fall,” said Sheema from Mallepally in the city.
There are a number of other complaints besides non-issue of medicines. The hospital premises are not being kept clean, patients said. “The washrooms are in a horrible condition. The cement water tank is full of algae. The officials never check, unlike in the past,” said Muneeb from Mughalpura. Also, the hospital compound is being used as a parking lot for those visiting Charminar. No explanation has been given for this.
Then there’s the fact that the hospital is beset with financial problems. Rafi Ahamed, superintendent of the Unani Hospital, said the hospital is provided with only Rs 50,000 per month for purchasing medicines for its Out Patients section, which is meager considering the number of patients who visit per day. “The government has sanctioned Rs 3 lakh, but it would take over a month to implement it,” said Mr Ahamed. He held the staff crunch at hospital responsible for bad maintenance.