Uday Lama

OPD is an acronym for Out

Patient Department, and patients are drawn mostly from the working, lower and middle class of society. The paperwork of receiving a prescription after examination is simple enough were it not for the fact that one

has to stand in line.

At the counter the man fills in the details such as name, address and age/sex as displayed on a computer for a token payment. This also

indicates where one has to go for a preliminary investigation although there is likely to be a small crowd waiting for their turn in the ante room.

For a diagnosis of the patient

there are the doctors and white-coated attendants with stethoscopes dangling from their necks. The major hospitals in the valley provides these

services for a nominal fee.

But it seems not enough is

being done to deliver basic health care to relieve the sufferings of the poor who cannot afford consultation fees.

The patient is prescribed medicines to be taken according to the dosage and advised to come again for a

follow-up. And he gives in with

murmur of assent and a nodding

of the head. But this is only a

minor irritant to be taken in stride

as at the end is relief from the symptoms of the disease.

Patients flock to OPD services as these are the nearest, cheapest

and available on short notice. While it gives a chance for the interns to

interact and find out the hard way what they have learned in medical schools. And there are those who come to seek solace for flu, gastric pains and migraine — to name just a few common illnesses.

For the poor and needy, the

OPD is an opportunity to find out whatever is afflicting them. Not

surprisingly they form the majority who are in need of treatment even if the medicines are expensive and

out of reach. And they bear the humiliation of being left out in the cold.

But this is the exception rather

than the rule and there is an

intermingling even though the

differences in terms of money and contacts are apparent.

OPDs are meant to provide health services to one and all in

spite of their status in life. And it is

important here not to draw a line as far the well-to-do and the rest of the milling crowd are concerned.