In a significant relief for thousands of patients, Pt BD Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, has revised its OPD medicine distribution policy. Patients will now receive a 30-day supply of free medicines in one go, replacing the earlier practice of issuing medicines for only 3 to 4 days.

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The decision, implemented under the guidance of Medical Superintendent Dr Kundan Mittal, aims to reduce the number of hospital visits, especially for patients who travel from far-off areas. PGIMS sees more than 7,000 OPD visitors daily, including those from Haryana and neighbouring states such as Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab.

“This is a major step forward in improving patient care. Despite receiving prescriptions for a month, many patients were earlier provided medicines only for a few days due to the previous policy. Now, we have revised it to ensure a full 30-day medicine supply,” said Dr Kundan.

He emphasised that the move will help in “reducing hospital crowding, saving patients’ time and travel costs, and ensuring better treatment continuity.” Dr Kundan said, “Nearly 10–15% of OPD patients used to visit PGIMS solely to collect medicines. Now, they won’t need to queue up every few days.”

Dr HK Aggarwal, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, confirmed the hospital has ensured “adequate medicine stock” to support the change. “It’s a major step towards improving access to treatment and reducing the burden on patients,” he said.

Prof SK Singhal, Director of PGIMS, called the change a “patient-centric reform,” saying it reflects the administration’s “commitment to efficient healthcare delivery.”

Caption: An outer view of OPD block of Rohtak PGIMS