Residents visiting the cardiology OPD at the Rajindra Hospital faced long delays in medical care on Thursday, being made to wait nearly two hours as the cardiologist was not available for checkup.
Patients, particularly senior citizens, also complained about the rude behaviour of the hospital staff.
Balinder Singh Dhindsa, a retired manager from Punjab and Sindh Bank, said he arrived at around 10 am. His blood pressure was checked by the nursing staff and he was asked to wait, but the doctor remained unavailable. By 11 am, with over 100 patients waiting in the corridor, Dhindsa lodged a complaint.
He alleged that he was snubbed by the staff and asked to go back and wait. Perturbed by the rude behaviour he and began clicking photographs of the crowded corridor. “While doing so I also went to the cancer ward of the hospital, where stray dogs were roaming freely. The nursing staff spotted me and turned aggressive, instructing me to delete the pictures or face legal action. A retired police officer advised me to avoid checkup and leave or risk being implicated in a case,” Dhindsa said.
Kartar Singh, another patient, said he had arrived at 10 am and was still waiting to see the doctor even by noon.
While the cardiologist was not available for comment, Director Principal Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Dr PPS Sibia defended the doctor, saying that the cardiologist was burdened with multiple tasks and worked late into the evening. “Even the doctors are hard pressed. In such scenario, a polite word could comfort them. Instructions have been issued to the staff to be polite with the patients,” Sibia said.
