• Shabbir Ali leads protest at Domakonda CHC demanding upgradation
Kamareddy (Telangana): Led by Congress senior leader and former minister Mohammed Shabbir Ali, hundreds of Congress party workers staged a protest in front of Domakonda Government Hospital in Kamareddy district on Tuesday, demanding immediate upgrades and improvements to the healthcare facility. Shabbir Ali warned that if the hospital is not upgraded to a 100-bed facility by the 1st of July, he would initiate a hunger strike.
Speaking to media persons, Shabbir Ali demanded that the Domakonda Community Health Centre (CHC) should be upgraded to ensure better medical services for the local community. One of the glaring issues highlighted during the protest was the lack of a dedicated driver for the hospital ambulance, a problem persisting for several years. In a symbolic act of criticism towards the government’s negligence, Shabbir Ali and Congress party workers showered flowers and broke coconuts near a rusted ambulance parked at the hospital.
Several other issues were brought to the forefront during the protest. The newly constructed post-mortem room, which has been standing idle for three years, remains closed to the public. Additionally, the RTC bus stand adjacent to the hospital has not undergone any upgrades, causing severe inconvenience to commuters who lack proper toilet and drinking water facilities.
“Despite a sanctioned strength of 13 doctors, only three are currently providing medical services at the hospital. This shortage has increased the workload on the existing staff. Consequently, patients are suffering due to delayed treatments,” he said.
Shabbir Ali said that the upgrading of Domakonda Hospital to a 100-bed facility would benefit residents of Bibipet, Domakonda, Machareddy, and Bhikanoor mandals in the Kamareddy constituency, as well as patients from Sircilla and Siddipet districts. He also expressed concerns over the linking of Kamareddy District Central Hospital with the Directorate of Medical Education (DME). This would result in the discontinuation of area hospitals under the original Vaidya Vidhana Parishad in the Kamareddy constituency, he said.
He said that the present BRS government had neglected the 30-bed hospital, which was constructed decades ago during his tenure as a minister. He urged the authorities to address the pressing issues faced by the hospital and its staff, as well as ensure the provision of quality healthcare services to the local population.
Shabbir Ali reiterated that he would undertake a hunger strike protest if the State Government fails to upgrade the Domakonda CHC to a 100-bedded hospital by the 1st of July
