Apr 13, Kathmandu- Parbat Hospital is going to operate 12 hours of Outpatient (OPD) service for the convenience of the patients who come for treatment.

According to the hospital administration, preparations are being made to operate the OPD by extending the service for five more hours from Monday, while earlier it was operating from 10 am to 5 pm.

Shankar Giri, Chairman of the Hospital Development Committee, informed that when the OPD service was conducted only in the afternoon, the patients were forced to go to private clinics in the morning and evening to take medication.

He said that when the service is open from morning to late evening, daily workers, teachers and other employees will also be able to get their health checked easily.

This service has been started especially for the convenience of workers, employees, teachers etc. He said that after Parbat Hospital started OPD services in the morning and evening hours, it would be a relief for those who were facing problems in getting health services during the day session.

Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Hemanta Bastola, said that the service was extended as the number of patients was high and the service was also a problem for the clients.

According to him, it used to open from 10 am to 5 pm as a day session, but now it will start from 7 am and will be open until 7 pm. He said that there would be no additional charge for taking the service during the extended period.

Dr. Bastola said that the staff and doctors were ready to spend more time in the hospital for the convenience of the customers. He informed that the OPD service will be completely closed on Saturdays and public holidays. According to him, services will be provided to the health insured through insurance even during the extended period.

The hospital has issued a notification informing that it is mandatory to bring an insurance card when coming to the extended service. Although the OPD services will be closed on public holidays, the emergency services will operate 24 hours a day. Dr. Bastola said that the compulsion of workers, teachers, employees and others to leave their daily work and spend time for treatment has ended.

Along with this, he said, there will be sufficient time for the consultation service between the doctor and the client, it will be convenient for all the patients who have to have an empty stomach blood test in the morning, there will be a reduction in the crowd and the client will not have to wait in line for a long time, patients who need to be referred to the OPD will be able to go through the referral on time.

Khagraj Adhikari, who was appointed as the chief minister of the state only last Sunday, decided to expand the OPD service of the district hospital in the first cabinet meeting. Although his decision was not implemented, Parbat Hospital said that it has expanded its services according to its preparations.

Giri, the chairman of the hospital management committee, informed that with the expansion of the service, staff and doctors will have to be deployed for an additional five hours, three hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

He said that even if the service was expanded, it would not be possible to manage more manpower. He demands that the state government should add some manpower. Between 250 and 300 patients come to Parbat Hospital daily for treatment.