Sri Vijayapuram, July 22: In a move aimed at easing the ordeal faced by thousands of patients visiting GB Pant Hospital daily, Mr. Angshuman Roy, State Youth President of Hindu Rashtra Shakti, has submitted a formal proposal to the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, urging the implementation of an online and mobile app-based OPD registration system.
Highlighting the persistent problems caused by the current manual registration process, Mr. Roy pointed out that the hospital — the islands’ only tertiary care facility — witnesses queues of over 1,000 patients each day, with waiting times stretching up to 2–3 hours. This, he noted, leads to overcrowding, compromises patient safety, and significantly affects vulnerable groups like senior citizens, pregnant women, and residents traveling from remote islands.
The proposal suggests the development of an integrated digital registration system that would offer mobile app and web portal booking, along with IVRS and SMS-based registration options for citizens without access to smartphones. Mr. Roy emphasized that Aadhaar-based authentication should be incorporated to prevent duplicate records, and real-time SMS token alerts should be sent to patients to help reduce crowding at the hospital premises.
One of the key highlights of the proposal is the recommendation to introduce dedicated priority slots for senior citizens, expectant mothers, and differently-abled individuals. According to Mr. Roy, the digital system could potentially reduce registration queues by 60–70%, minimize unnecessary travel for islanders from remote regions, and bring in greater transparency regarding doctor availability and hospital resource planning.
The initiative, he said, would be in alignment with the Digital India programme and the National Digital Health Mission, and could position GB Pant Hospital as a model digital healthcare institution for other island territories.
Mr. Roy has also urged the Lt. Governor to direct the hospital administration to take immediate steps towards implementing the system. He has requested fund allocation for the necessary technical infrastructure, including app development and SMS gateway services, and the formation of a joint monitoring committee consisting of representatives from the Health Department, NIC, and IT Department to oversee the process.
