PGI attends to 1 lakh new patients every year

Tribune News Service

One of India’s premier medical institutes, the PGI is attending to over 25 lakh patients each year at its various OPDs.

Figures released by the institute suggest that the PGI is burdened with over one lakh new patients in its OPDs every year.

Also, the PGI, which is the only institute of its kind in the region, caters to a large number of patients. The institute has an OPD attendance of 10,000 patients per day. Meanwhile, the figures certainly show that at present the institute is handling over four to five times its capacity.

“Though the health services in Punjab and Haryana and other neighbouring states are improving, lack of awareness among patients about the same leads them to the PGI in huge numbers resulting in excessive burden on our resources and staff. I think creating awareness and trust among the public about availability of quality healthcare outside of the PGI is as important as strengthening of the health services itself,” said Dr Vipin Koushal, deputy medical superintendent, PGI.

He said: “Since there is no referral system, doctors are bound to treat every patient on a priority basis. We have been communicating with regional hospitals to avoid referring any patient unless unavoidable. Being one of the premier institutes, we cannot deny services to any patient.”

Notably, the maximum number of patients coming to the PGI is from Punjab and Haryana, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Patients from western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan also come in large numbers.

Skewed doctor-patient ratio

PGI has nearly 400 faculty members,  1,000 resident doctors, 2,000 nurses and students and 350 PhD and paramedical students. “The number is terribly low as compared to the footfall of patients, as a result of which the staff is overburdened and over-stressed,” said Dr Koushal.

PGI to celebrate its Foundation Day tomorrow

Prof K Srinath Reddy, president, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, will address the PGI fraternity on the institute’s Foundation Day on July 7 at 8 am at Bhargava Auditorium.  He will speak on the topic — India’s Health System Reforms.

Professor Reddy is former head, Department of Cardiology, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and was appointed the First Bernard Lown Visiting Professor of Cardiovascular Health at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Prof Anil K Gupta, IIM, Ahmedabad, will deliver a lecture on Innovations for Inclusive Health: Doctors as Designers in Lecture Theatre-I for doctors, faculty and other staff of the institute at 4 pm.  Founder of the Honey Bee Network, Prof Gupta is executive vice-chairperson, National Innovation Foundation (NIfindia.org), and president, Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI). The PGI has completed 53 years and will enter the 54th year on July 7.