Kulgam, Feb 2: Patients and their attendants at District Hospital Kulgam on Monday voiced strong resentment over prolonged waiting hours in the outpatient departments, alleging that the much-publicised online ticketing system has failed to provide relief on the ground.
Several patients told that despite booking tokens online, they are still compelled to wait for hours at hospital counters, defeating the very purpose of the system.
They alleged that even after securing early token numbers from home, they are made to stand in long queues, while some claimed they were asked to purchase tickets at the hospital, causing unnecessary inconvenience.
One attendant said that the online system should be fully functional and transparent, with a nominal fee automatically deducted at the time of booking and an e-ticket generated in PDF form.
“If we get an online ticket at home, we should be able to show it directly to the doctor. That would save time and effort,” he said, urging authorities to intervene.
Patients further complained of confusion on the ground, with some staff allegedly advising them to go offline, while others insist on online registration, leaving people especially the elderly and seriously ill distressed and helpless. “We have been waiting for hours. Some patients are critically ill, yet there is no clarity,” an attendant said.
The aggrieved patients appealed to the health authorities to streamline the online ticketing mechanism, ensure its effective implementation, and put an end to what they termed as harassment of patients and attendants at the hospital.
Medical Superintendent (MS) DH Kulgam, Dr Syed Masood, has rejected the allegations, clarifying that the new system is part of the ongoing digitisation drive being implemented across the country, not limited to Kulgam alone. He said the process is smooth, functional, and takes only a minute to complete.
Dr Masood stated that digitisation of medical records is aimed at benefiting patients, as proper registration ensures access to entitled healthcare benefits anywhere in the country.
He further added that the allegations are a reaction from a ticket mafia whose illegal practice of selling hospital tickets privately has been abolished following strict action by the administration.
