ESI dispensary shift sparks accessibility and infrastructure concerns

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

With the March 1 deadline nearing, anxiety and criticism are growing over the state government’s decision to relocate 29 ESI dispensaries within GHMC limits from private rented premises to vacant government buildings. Though the move is intended to ease the burden of rental payments, ground-level inspections have exposed significant shortcomings in the allotted structures, leaving doctors, staff and beneficiaries worried.

Authorities have warned that strict action will be taken if the dispensaries are not shifted by March 1. This directive has placed officials and employees in a difficult position, as many of the new locations are reportedly not equipped to function as healthcare facilities.

The Moulali ESI dispensary has been instructed to shift to a community hall in Hanuman Nagar, Lalaguda. However, the building lacks a proper staircase to access the first floor, where the dispensary is to operate. Without adequate stairs, staff, patients and their family members are uncertain how they will reach the facility. Residents have begun making sarcastic remarks, questioning whether patients are expected to “reach through the air” for treatment.

In another case, the Chilakalaguda ESI dispensary has been ordered to relocate to the first-floor hall of the Warasiguda Police Station building, which functions from the Buddha Nagar Community Hall. Although the structure does not originally belong to the police department, the presence of a police station on the ground floor has caused unease. Many people are already hesitant to enter police premises. Patients, including elderly persons, women, children and persons with disabilities, will have to cross the police station area to reach the dispensary upstairs. Questions are also being raised about whether the premises can handle the daily influx of vehicles and hundreds of patients seeking medical care, and how police personnel will manage such movement.

These two instances reflect a larger issue affecting 29 ESI dispensaries currently operating from private buildings across GHMC limits. Due to difficulties in paying rent, the GHMC Commissioner issued orders to shift them to government buildings. Dispensaries such as those at Moulali and Chilakalaguda have accordingly been allotted community halls and other government structures. However, there are allegations that the buildings were assigned without proper field inspections or assessment of suitability.

Community halls that were once used by local residents for meetings and small functions are now being converted into dispensaries, leading to resentment among locals who fear losing access to these facilities. After receiving relocation orders, doctors and staff inspected the new buildings and found a range of issues at various sites.

At Moulali, the absence of a proper staircase remains a major obstacle. At Warasiguda, accessibility concerns continue. In King Kothi’s Bade Chowdi area, staff struggled even to identify the allotted building, as the official order reportedly provided only latitude and longitude coordinates instead of a clear address.

Several other buildings identified for relocation lack basic infrastructure. Some do not have doors or windows, while others lack toilet facilities altogether. In certain places, there is only one toilet. In a few ward offices, Basti Dawakhanas and government buildings, rooms are extremely small and cramped, making it difficult to accommodate equipment and materials currently used in the dispensaries.

Doctors are concerned about arranging essential facilities such as pharmacies, laboratories, consultation rooms and treatment areas. In some locations, they have been asked to manage all operations within a single hall. In others, buildings lack ventilation and natural light. Employees fear that operating in dark, poorly ventilated rooms could pose health risks and affect service delivery.

While relocating dispensaries to government buildings is seen as a positive step in principle, staff argue that proper on-site evaluation should have been conducted before issuing orders. They believe authorities should have assessed space requirements, equipment needs and accessibility for vulnerable groups. With strict warnings in place and facilities found lacking, dissatisfaction is growing. All eyes are now on the state Labour Department to see how it addresses the concerns surrounding the relocation of these 29 ESI dispensaries.