THOSE visiting the outpatient department (OPD) at the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) have to face serious difficulties as a matter of routine. For a sick person, every minute matters, but patients visiting GIMS often have to spend at least a couple of hours just to obtain an OPD slip. This long waiting time has become a major inconvenience, especially for seriously ill patients, elderly people and those coming from distant areas. I personally experience the issue every single time I go there with my parents for their check-ups.

Another concern among the patients is that people with personal connections get OPD slips more quickly than the rest. Whether or not this happens in every case, such a perception lowers public trust in the fairness of the system.

GIMS caters to the needs of patients not only from Gambat, but also from nearby towns and villages. In fact, people from provinces other than Sindh also visit the health facility.

The hospital administration should introduce an online system to allow patients to pre-book OPD slips or appointments, saving valuable time. For those unable to use an online system, separate physical counters or a simple token system should be made available.

Currently, an online token facility exists only for liver transplant OPD patients. Extending this facility to all OPDs would make the process far more convenient.

Parkash Kumar
Khairpur

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2026