SAMBALPUR: Due to delay in the implementation of online OPD ticket service and an uncontrollable rush at physical OPD counters, the patients depending on Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), Burla are having a harrowing experience in getting timely consultation.
Sources said the proposal for the online OPD ticket service at VIMSAR was first moved in May last year. The VIMSAR authorities had also floated a tender and selected a private firm for the implementation of the project. But during the same period, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), India evinced interest in the project. However, there has been no visible progress in this direction after that.
Apart from the ticketing counter, the patients’ wait continues outside the respective OPD departments too. It is believed because of long hours of waiting, the patients often fall prey to brokers. A patient from Sundargarh, Bansidhar Sabar, who had come for his wife’s check-up at the medicine department said, “I had reached Burla early in the morning. However, I went for breakfast around 8 am and by the time I returned, there was a long queue. Despite coming early I had to wait for an hour to get the ticket.”
Sabar alleged that while waiting, a person offered to get him an OPD ticket from the staff or student counter for Rs 100. However, he refused the offer. Another patient, Bhagirathi Suna from Bargarh, who was waiting outside an OPD said, “If we could get tickets on time, we would not have to wait for hours every time during the check-up.”
Superintendent of VIMSAR, Dr Lalmohan Nayak said, “The online ticket service project has been taken over by C-DAC so we do not have any say over the progress of the project. However, we will follow up with them, he assured us.
The superintendent also admitted that the OPD counters remain overcrowded most of the time and said, “Currently the OPD counters open around 8:30 am. If we open it an hour earlier, the problem of overcrowding could be resolved to some extent.”Official sources informed us that the C-DAC has already brought in cables and another fitment for the implementation of the online service around two months back. However, they have not started any work yet.
Ticketing headache