Wait over as Nerchowk medical college gets OPD

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, October 19

Mandi residents’ wait is over as the state government has decided to start an outpatient department (OPD) and an indoor patient department (IPD) at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College in Nerchowk from Saturday.

Locals have been demanding the services in the hospital for long. In the beginning, the IPD will have 250 beds, three operation theatres and a trauma centre, which will be made functional to cater to emergency cases round the clock.

Due to inadequate facilities at the Regional Hospital in Mandi, doctors have been facing a great difficulty in providing better healthcare to the patients.

The people are already upset with the government over its apathetic approach towards the medical needs of the people of rural areas. They said they were deprived of even the basic facilities.

A majority of the civil hospitals and primary health centres in Mandi district are facing a shortage of staff. As a result, the patients are being referred to the Zonal Hospital in Mandi, which remain overcrowded throughout the year.

Residents of Mandi district Sushil Kumar, Naresh Kumar, Sunita and Rekha said with the start of the OPD at the medical college, it would reduce the burden of the Zonal Hospital.

Apart from this, the patients will be able to get good healthcare at their doorstep as they will no longer be referred to Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, or the PGIMER, Chandigarh, for minor ailments. Confirming the report, Dr Rajneesh Pathania, principal of the medical college, told The Tribune that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur would inaugurate the outpatient department on Saturday. “With this, three operation theatres will be made functional. The trauma centre will be opened and the Chief Minister will also inaugurate the Nursing College at Nerchowk,” he added.

Doctors worked up

• Due to inadequate facilities at the Regional Hospital in Mandi, doctors have been facing a great difficulty in providing better healthcare to the patients. 
• The people are already upset with the government over its apathetic approach to the needs of the people of rural areas. They said they were deprived of even the basic facilities. 
• A majority of the civil hospitals and primary health centres in Mandi district are facing a shortage of staff. As a result, the patients are being referred to the Zonal Hospital in Mandi, which remain overcrowded throughout the year.