Chandigarh: The govt hospital in Sector 48 has commenced paediatric and skin outpatient department (OPD) services, marking a step towards strengthening healthcare facilities in the southern sectors of the city.Hospital officials said consultations in the two departments began on April 16 and are being provided daily between 9am and 2 pm. The new services are expected to ease access to specialist care for residents of nearby areas.According to the hospital administration, former director-principal Dr G P Thami attended patients in the skin OPD Friday. To ensure continuity of services, senior resident doctors have also been assigned duties in the department.GMCH-32 director-principal Dr Ravneet Kaur reviewed the arrangements at the hospital and interacted with staff to assess preparedness. She directed officials to ensure that patients do not face inconvenience as services are expanded in a phased manner. “We are in the process of introducing X-ray and ultrasound facilities here as well,” she said.Officials said preparations to start additional OPD services are in the final stages. Specialised clinics for medicine, surgery and gynaecology are expected to be introduced soon.The health department said the objective is to make the Sector 48 hospital fully functional in the near future, which would help reduce the patient load at GMCH-32, particularly for residents of the city’s southern sectors.Officials added that most OPD services are likely to be operational within a month, enabling the hospital to provide comprehensive healthcare services.
