A mosque located in Hyderabad’s NS Kunta, Masjid-e-Ishaq has taken up a unique and appreciable initiative. As per Telangana Today, it has offered 1,000 square feet area on the ground floor for a community health care centre which will serve 1.5 lakh people, mostly the poor.
Masjid becomes healthcare centre
The community, health care centre, is the result of a collaboration between the Masjid Committee and a Hyderabad-based NGO Helping Hand Foundation (HHF). The centre will provide free treatment to all patients irrespective of religion with the help of a network of 100 volunteers including doctors and paramedics, reported Times of India.
The mosque is located in a working-class dominated area of Old Hyderabad. In addition to NS Kunta, the centre will benefit people living in Achireddy Nagar, Vatepally, Chasma, Mustafanagar, Pahadi Guntal Shah Baba, Tekri Biryani Shah, Teegal Kunta, Jahanuma, Tadbun, and Fatima Nagar.
HHF Managing trustee Mujtaba Hasan Askari said, “The community health care centre will serve as a referral link to about 30 state-run hospitals providing primary to tertiary healthcare”. He said that very few people from slums go to government hospitals and the mosque will facilitate treatment of underprivileged in state-run hospitals. He added that the centre would also offer other services such as free diagnostics, vitals, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, wound management, maternal care, and physiotherapy.
Khatib of the Masjid, Maulana Faiq Khan said, “We were keen to set up the healthcare from our masjid that will be a source of Allah’s mercy for hundreds of poor people in the slums, and we are glad that Allah’s house is being used for a good cause regardless of religion or faith”.
The community health care centre will provide all the necessary services provided by government-run hospitals. It will hold health education programmes for pregnant women, ensure 100% vaccination for children in the area and distribute nutrition kits to malnourished pregnant women. Periodic screening for both lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cancer and infectious diseases like dengue and tuberculosis will also be held.
Initiatives like this can massively improve public health in India. The poorest section of society has minimal or almost no access to healthcare services. State-run hospitals too have not been able to fulfil this gap because of lack of information and guidance. This healthcare centre seeks to fulfil this very gap. The NGO reportedly wishes to expand the facility and bring other Masjids under its ambit as well.
The Logical Indian appreciates the Masjid Committee and Helping Hand Foundation for this noble initiative and hopes that it will serve as a guiding light for other people working tirelessly to improve India’s healthcare.
