Panchkula: Saarthis at Civil Hospital get thumbs up from senior citizens

Arun Gautam, a retired government official, said, “I came here because of a stomach problem. I was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality shown by the Saarthis deputed to help senior citizens. They helped me a lot and have done their job well.”

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Citizens are commending the step taken by the district hospital. “It is a good step for the welfare of the patients. The team is cooperative. This should be made available in all the hospitals,” said Dharampal Singh, another senior citizen who visited the hospital.

District health officials said the purpose for starting this service is to end the concept of separate line for senior citizens. “The era of separate line for the senior citizens has come to an end. Instead, they will have a Saarthi who will help them to get medical attention directly and immediately. This is the concept behind this initiative,” said Trehan.

Mehak Sharma, one of the Saarthis, said, “We check the registration cards to see who the patient has been consulted by previously, fill in the details of the patients on the registration cards and carry them in wheel chairs or stretchers and take them to the doctors and to the units for tests prescribed by the doctor and at last we fill in their prescriptions and see them off at the exit,” Saarthis also perform general checkups on the patients such checking their blood pressure.

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“The main aim of the initiative is to make it easier for the senior citizens to get medical aid,” said Neha, another Saarthi.

“I have stopped asking patients who has come with them, especially to senior citizens because most of them come alone and then they start crying. That is why we have started this initiative. We explain things such as which tests to do and where to go, to a Saarthi who takes care of the rest,” said Trehan.

On an average, nearly 100 senior citizens visit the hospital each day. Some come for getting their vitals checked and some to get their prescriptions refilled. “9am-11am is a busy time. Yesterday, we received 124 senior citizens. Some had to consult doctors, some had get their blood pressure checked, some had to do tests and we helped them in doing all this,” said Sonu Kumar, another Saarthi.

District health officials said the facility which has started since December last year is shaping up to become a senior citizen unit in itself with the construction work almost completed. “The facility which was initially a corner will now have multiple rooms. We are making some additions to it. The facility will now have adjacent cabins for registration, lab sample collection, a cabin for a Counselor and Dietitian and a separate cabin where a doctor will attend to the patients,” Trehan said.

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The facility is located on the Ground Floor just opposite the Out Patient Department (OPD) and Surgery Department and the Pharmacy is just one floor above it. The MRI and X-Ray units are also located on the ground floor. “We have designed it keeping the placements of other units in mind so that a senior citizen can get medical aid with minimum inconvenience. No such services exist in any of the district hospitals,” Trehan added.

District Civil Hospital will also showcase their tableau which will be themed on the Senior Citizen Corner and Saarthis. “We will be taking out a Jhanki on the Republic Day to convey the initiative to the people and let them know that we are here for them,” said Trehan.