AURANGABAD: Advocacy groups have demanded extension to the working hours of the
outdoor patient department
(OPD) at the
Government Medical College and Hospital
(GMCH) here. Currently, the OPD runs from 9am to 1pm daily. The groups wanted the facility to run during the second half of the day also on the lines of other metros in the state.
The OPD of the state-run hospital is visited by 1,800 to 2,000 patients every day. Activists have said that the current timings cannot cater to the huge rush of patients from different parts of the region.
Addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Ravi Gaikwad of Peoples Voice - Mission for Right to Health, said poor patients not only from the eight districts of Marathwada, but also from Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Buldhana and Ahmednagar districts approach the GMCH, for healthcare.
“Several patients had to either wait or go to private hospitals as the OPD timings are too short. In other metros, including Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai, OPDs of state-run district hospitals are open in the second half of the day, too. At some places, OPDs function at night hours also,” he said.
Sangram Mourya, another activist associated with People’s Voice, alleged that the OPD of GMCH, Aurangabad, runs for a couple of hours only instead of the scheduled four hours.
“We have observed many times that doctors arrive at the OPD late and leave early. The facility actually starts at 10am and ends by noon. It is sheer cruelty towards patients and their families,” he said.
Activists have also raised objections related to surgeries on patients, stating that the allotted slots are inadequate. Several patients, despite in dire need of surgeries, had to wait long due to the short schedule. The authorities should pay attention towards this issue also, they said.
In a memorandum submitted to the GMCH authorities and the state government, the group has also raised a range of other issues, including appointment of staff and functioning of different super specialty departments.
Senior doctors at the GMCH admitted that the OPD runs less than the scheduled time span. “Besides ensuring proper working of the OPD, there is also need for running it in the evenings. A policy decision to this effect need to be taken by the management,” a senior doctor said.
Sudhir Chaudhari,
GMCH superintendent
, said extending the timing of OPD was a policy decision to be take at the level of the dean. “Availability of manpower will be a major consideration in any decision on OPD timings,” he said.
The dean could not be reached for comments.
Established in 1956, GMCH, Aurangabad has been considered the biggest tertiary care hospital in Marathwada.
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