Patna: After Holi and the weekend holiday, Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) witnessed a massive influx of patients on Monday, with around 2,700 people seeking medical attention. The overwhelming crowd at the central registration counter led to chaos, with patients and their relatives struggling under the scorching sun.
From early morning, men, women, children, and the elderly queued up under a plastic shed, which offered little relief from the heat and humidity. The situation worsened as no fans were running under the shed. Patients had to wait for one and a half to two hours just to get registered, followed by another long wait in department lines for treatment.
Crowds extended to ultrasound, X-ray, pathology, and medicine distribution counters. On Monday morning, 2,310 new patients and 337 returning patients visited the OPD, while 58 patients were admitted for further treatment. The queue for registration stretched beyond the emergency and pediatrics department, making it especially difficult for elderly patients to stand for long durations.
Several patients said they arrived at 7 AM but were registered only after two hours. Many feared that delays in OPD registration would mean missing their doctor’s consultation.
Summer Brings Change in OPD Timings
With the onset of summer, NMCH has revised its evening clinic hours. According to an order by the superintendent, OPD registration will be done from 3:30 PM to 5 PM, and doctors will attend to patients from 4 PM to 6 PM. Morning OPD registration remains unchanged from 8 AM to 1:30 PM.
Security Guards Accused of Taking Bribes
Amidst the registration chaos, patients and their relatives alleged that private security guards at the counters were demanding ₹50 to ₹100 as a “service charge” for faster registration. Some claimed that guards were facilitating registrations through the back door, leading to an uproar among waiting patients.
Seven Counters Insufficient for Patient Load
NMCH currently operates seven registration counters, including two each for men and women, one for senior citizens and disabled patients, a staff counter, a seal counter for old patients, and a counter for the gynecology OPD. Given the heavy patient inflow, people have urged the administration to increase the number of counters.
Hospital Administration Responds
Superintendent Prof. Dr. Alka Singh acknowledged the issue, stating that the lack of space in the hospital was a major challenge. However, she assured that efforts are being made to improve the system and ease patient inconvenience.
