Evening OPDs to start at GMSH-16 from August 15

One floor in the new OPD block will be kept separate for evening OPDs.

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“We will start OPDs in five areas: paediatrics, medicine, general surgery, gynaecology and orthopaedics. We are going to recruit five retired doctors who have earlier worked in city’s government hospitals like PGI, GMCH-32 and GMSH-16,” said Dr V K Gagneja, Director Health Services.

The evening OPDs were supposed to start by July 1. Officials said that there was a delay because of financial constraints.

“A budget of more than Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned to start evening OPDs at GMSH-16, Civil Hospital, Manimajra, Civil Hospital, Sector 22, and the one in Sector 45. We are starting with GMSH-16,” said Anurag Agarwal, home-cum-health secretary.

He added, “Doctors of repute will be engaged through an outsourcing agency. We cannot recruit them directly, as UT Health Department does not have more sanctioned posts of doctors. Retired doctors only from public health centres will be recruited.”

The doctors will be paid an honorarium of around Rs 40,000 per month. Apart from retired doctors, additional staff including paramedical staff, sanitary workers, hospital attendants and lab technicians will be recruited on a contract basis.

Talking about the main purpose behind starting evening OPDs, the health secretary said, “The morning OPDs in the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector16, are flooded with patients, so evening OPDs will reduce the rush to some extent. Secondly, there are many people who have to take leave from work to come and see a doctor in OPDs. Children have to skip schools and people from underprivileged section avoid treatment as otherwise they will not earn their daily wage. Keeping all these things in mind, the decision was taken to start evening OPDs.”

There is footfall of around 3,000 patients in the OPDs at GMSH-16 and around 300 patients are admitted to the emergency round the clock. Currently, OPD timings are 8 am to 2 pm along with 24×7 hour emergency services.

Two years back, the evening OPDs were started in the GMSH-16, but the project failed. “The reason was at that time, serving doctors were asked to work till late hours and there was resentment among them. This time, we are recruiting retired doctors.”

The health secretary said, “We are also thinking of starting an appointment system for evening OPDs.”