Moomina Bashir, a 32-year-old pregnant woman, reached LD Hospital at 11 am for OPD check up on Monday. She and her elderly mother took turns standing in the queue for OPD registration. Between them, they stood in line for one-and-a-half hours before reaching the counter.
Like Moomina, a number of women in their later stages ofpregnancy could be seen waiting in the queue.
Only two counters issue OPD cards to about 800-900 OPDpatients that visit the hospital a day. On some days, patients rush touches1100.
“OPD registration is an ordeal for women. Not every woman isaccompanied by an attendant. Sometimes an attendant and the patient stand intwo queues to try their luck at getting to the counter quicker,” he said.
A senior doctor at the hospital said that changes in themanner of patient flow in OPDs has been streamlined through various initiativessuch as multi-cabins as per the patient requirement, public announcement systemfor smoothening turns, huge waiting area for patients awaiting consultation andrestricting entry of male attendants.
But, she said, the registration counters were a weak areathe hospital administration had ignored completely.
“Right from the moment the woman starts registering at thehospital, it is misery not ease that greets her,” she said.
“A few more OPD counters would reduce the waiting timeconsiderably. At least, cover the area so that those waiting in queues areprotected from weather vagaries,” she said.
Medical superintendent LalDed Hospital, DrShabir A Siddiqisaid that the hospital had the provision of opening the third registrationcounter if the administration felt the rush was more than usual.
“Sometimes we do open the third counter, but usually the twocounters suffice,” he said.