Doctors spending 3 mins on patient instead of recommended 10: PGI survey

Chandigarh, January 7

It may sound strange, but doctors in the public sector hospitals in the city spend on an average merely three minutes on a patient, just a little more than the time it takes to cook the two-minute noodles.

A recent study by the community medicine department of the PGI, which was sponsored by the National Rural Health Mission, reveals that doctors in various secondary-level hospitals, including the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital-16, spend only 180 seconds (three minutes) on a patient in the OPD. Though some doctors claim this time is “sufficient”, keeping in view the rush that government hospitals witness, the Medial Council of India has been propagating that at least 10 minutes should be spend on each patient in the OPD.

The study also attempted to look at the satisfaction levels of the patients on various parameters, including the overall time spent in the OPD by a patient, accessibility and staff and doctors’ behaviour. Surprisingly, 60 per cent of the 1,000 people, including over 510 women, who were interviewed, were satisfied with the overall quality of the OPD services.

On the time spent by the doctors on the patients, 86 per cent said doctors heard them carefully. However, 68 per cent were dissatisfied with the privacy the doctors maintained while examining or talking to them. About 82 per cent people were uncomfortable with the excessive use of medical terminologies by physicians.

The study also revealed that long queues and waiting time irked a majority (more than 50 per cent) of patients. The study showed that the waiting time at the reception counter at the GMSH-16 was 11 minutes and on an average, three minutes at the dispensaries, polyclinics, and the community health centre (CHC).

Dr Sonu Goel, principal investigator of the study and a faculty member at the community medicine department, PGI, said the study found that excessive waiting time was perhaps the greatest cause of irritation and dissatisfaction among the patients. The study was conducted over a period of six months from September 2010 at health units, including the GMSH, CHC-22 and polyclinics in Sector 45 and Sector 10.

The patients frequented the departments of general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, otorhinolaryngology, ophthalmology, cardiology, neurosurgery, tuberculosis and chest disease.

26 sq-km bone of contention

UT Admn holds 6 meetings in a year, but forest officials left out
Chandigarh, January 7

The UT Administration seems to be least interested in resolving an inter-state dispute over a 26 sq-km patch of the eco-fragile Sukhna wildlife sanctuary area. The seriousness of the Administration can be gauged from the fact that in the last year, six meetings have been held, but the Administration has never invited officials of the forest and wildlife department, a major stakeholder of the area, to resolve the contentious issue.

This area, touching the boundaries of Punjab in Kansal village and Haryana in Saketri village, has witnessed haphazard constructions with land sharks eyeing the area. The Camelot project of TATA, which has been stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was also coming up in the Kansal area.

Sources revealed that the officials of the departments of urban planning, architect, Deputy Commissioner’s office, legal wing and even representatives of Punjab and Haryana also attended the meetings, but not once were officials of the forest and wildlife department invited.

In response to a communication of the UT Chief Architect, the office of the Deputy Commissioner had requested the home department for a legal opinion on the status of the land to decide on future planning.

The DC’s office had submitted its report to the Administration, in which it was mentioned that though the ownership and possession of the land was with the UT, it fell under the revenue jurisdiction of Punjab and Haryana.

DC Brijendra Singh had sought legal opinion on land ownership. So far, the legal department has not submitted its report to the Administration.

The land was transferred to the UT on March 15, 1963, but fell outside the 114-sq km territory in the revenue records of the UT.

The UT area of 114 sq km does not include the 26 sq-km area of the Sukhna wildlife sanctuary and 2.17 sq km of Sector 1, where the Capitol Complex and Rajindra Park are located.

SUKHNA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Seeking extension: Due to a dispute over the area, the UT Administration has already decided to seek another extension of four to six months from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to complete the master plan. The court had fixed January 9 as deadline to complete it.

Former councillor Arshad Khan dead

Chandigarh, January 5
Thirtyseven-year-old Arshad Khan, former nominated councillor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, died of a cardiac arrest here today. He was the first nominated councillor in the history of the corporation and was given ticket by the Congress to contest from Ward No. 26 in the elections held recently.

He was declared brought dead at the PGI emergency ward around 2 pm today. However, his medical card was made at 4.20 pm.

A doctor who examined the body said a bluish tinge was visible on the face and lips of the deceased. The body has been kept at the PGI mortuary and a postmortem is likely to be conducted tomorrow.

Arshad collapsed in his office at the IT park, Chandigarh, and was rushed to the PGI.

A close friend of Arshad said he had been suffering from a heart ailment for the last four years and was taking medication regularly. His condition started deteriorating a few days ago due to exertion and pressure of campaigning.

Several sitting and former Congress councillors, including the Mayor, Raj Bala Malik, rushed to the PGI.

“Where has my son gone? He would never leave me alone. How can he go away like this? I want to take him to Hyderabad. Please book our tickets for tomorrow,” his wailing mother Circa Khan lamented.

His burial is likely to take place in Hyderabad, his hometown.

UT gets serious about Sukhna

Tells Punjab, Haryana to ban high-rises in catchment area

Chandigarh, January 4
The UT Administration has asked the governments of Punjab and Haryana to stop construction of high-rise buildings in the Sukhna catchment area. In a letter forwarded to both the states, the Administration has also raised the points of the Punjab and Haryana High Court order which has banned construction in the catchment area. The Tribune was the first to highlight the issue of construction activity in the catchment area.

A senior official of the Administration said construction activity was going on in the Kansal area where people had constructed five or six floor residential buildings, which would be harmful for Sukhna Lake. He further said the authorities concerned were not checking the construction activity.

The High Court had already constituted a committee for the demarcation of the catchment area near the lake. The committee had been constituted to ensure that there was no illegal construction in the catchment area and had been asked to submit a report on February 13.

Acting on a petition filed in public interest to save the lake, a Division Bench of the High Court had on March 14, 2011, banned construction of any kind in the catchment area falling in Haryana and Punjab.

Building projects, particularly societies, are a major concern in the area, especially the changed tracts of the rivulets feeding the lake. Constructions have blocked the natural path of these rivulets, which pose a threat to fields and even buildings next to the original tract.

The issue of haphazard constructions in the areas falling in Punjab and Haryana and adjoining Sukhna has assumed bigger significance with big realtors coming up with mega residential projects.

‘Casual’ Admn

When the Punjab and Haryana High Court banned the construction activity, the amicus curiae in the case, advocate Tanu Bedi had questioned the casual approach of the UT Administration towards the lake and for failing to keep a check on the increasing rate of urbanisation in the catchment area. She had contended that if the urbanisation trend was not checked at this stage, the lake would die.