Long queues, not enough medicines at GTB Hospital

Long queues, sweating people and disappointed faces are a common sight at the medicine counter of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital — the biggest hospital in east Delhi.
Patients and their family members complain that the services offered at the pharmacy are not good.

They say they have to stand in long queues, sweating in the extreme heat since there is no shade, and at times urgently-needed medicines are not available.

“There are 10 medicine counters but only four are open. We have to struggle standing in a long queue,” said Vinay Sehrawat, resident of Mayur Vihar.

During peak hours, just after the doctors finish seeing patients in the outpatient department, hundreds of people form a single queue.

One has to stand for at least three to four hours to get medicines.

Due to inadequate supply, one cannot depend solely on the medicines given by the hospital, though supplying essential medicines is part of the state government’s policy.

“Of five medicines that a doctor prescribed me, I got only two,” said a patient.
An official of the hospital administration said the number of patients is high.

“It will take time for each patient to get medicines.”

However, the staff in pharmacy has something else to say.

“There are 30 sanctioned posts in the pharmacy unit, of which only 20 are filled. The shortage is bound to create trouble.

“The infrastructure of the pharmacy also slows medicine delivery and storing them is a problem,” said a senior pharmacist.