SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 7: The medical education wing of the state health department has rescheduled the Outpatient Department (OPD) timings of all five Jharkhand medical colleges in a bid to provide smooth health services to the patients.
Dr SK Singh, director of medical education of the state health department, has issued a notification to these medical colleges to start the OPD timing according to the revised schedule.
As per the notification, the registration of patients for OPD would be done from 8 am to 12 noon in the first half while in the second half, it would be done from 3 pm to 5 pm daily.
The treatment of patients outdoors would be held from 9 am to 1 pm in the first half and from 3-6 pm in the second half of the day.
The decision was taken at the marathon monthly review meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Health Arun Kumar Singh and attended by the director of medical education, principal, and superintendent of all five medical colleges of state on November 4.
Dr SK Singh, director of medical education in his letter to the principals/superintendents of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical Colleges Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur, Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad, Phulo Jhano Medical College Hospital (PJMCH) Dumka, Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) Hazaribagh and Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH) Palamu has asked them to ensure implementation of the revised OPD timings in the institutions.
“OPD timings have been revised keeping the facility of the patients in mind and it would bring uniformity among all the institutions,” said the director of medical education.
Doctors to prescribe generic medicines write in capital letters
Dr S K Singh has also directed the principals/ superintendents to prescribe generic medicines to patients in their respective hospitals and it should be written in capital letters.
“At the review meeting, the ACS expressed concern over doctors prescribing costly and trademark medicines to patients at medical colleges hospitals which puts an economic burden on the patients. So, principals/ superintendents of all medical colleges have been requested to direct the doctors for prescribing generic medicines and write them in clear capital letters on the prescriptions,” said Dr SK Singh.
Prescription writing in capital letters has become a major issue in the state. Despite repeated circulars from the Medical Council of India (MCI) and now the National Medical Commission (NMC), the government as well as private doctors do not follow the order. But now ACS health has taken serious note of the ignorance on the part of the doctors and directed its strict implementation in the interest of patients.
