Pulwama, Feb 3, KNT: Elderly patients visiting District Hospital Pulwama are facing serious hardship and distress due to prolonged waiting at OPD ticket counters, exposing glaring gaps in the hospital’s patient care system and its preparedness to deal with senior citizens.
Many aged patients, already burdened with age-related ailments and chronic health conditions, are compelled to stand in long queues for extended periods just to obtain registration slips. For several of them, prolonged standing is physically exhausting and medically risky, often worsening their condition even before they reach a doctor.
Adding to the problem is the increasing reliance on digital registration mechanisms. Most elderly patients are unfamiliar with Android smartphones, QR codes, or mobile applications, leaving them confused and dependent on others for basic registration. While digital systems are promoted in the name of efficiency, they have inadvertently excluded senior citizens who lack the knowledge or access to such technology.
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Attendants accompanying elderly patients said the system fails to recognise the special needs of senior citizens. “Many of them cannot stand for long, cannot operate smartphones, and yet there is no alternative arrangement for them,” an attendant said.
District Hospital Pulwama caters to a heavy daily rush as a primary healthcare facility, but the absence of a separate or priority ticket counter for elderly patients has turned a routine hospital visit into an ordeal. The situation not only undermines their dignity but also raises concerns about humane healthcare delivery.
Inhabitants and patients have appealed to the Deputy Commissioner Pulwama and the Chief Medical Officer Pulwama to take immediate notice of the issue. They have urged the introduction of a dedicated counter or priority system for senior citizens to ensure faster and respectful access to medical services.
Such a step, they said, would significantly reduce suffering, restore dignity, and reflect a patient-centric approach in the public healthcare system. Immediate intervention by the authorities could spare elderly patients unnecessary pain and distress. [KNT]
