Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 22 July 2025
In a bid to modernize healthcare access and reduce patient distress at GB Pant Hospital, Angshuman Roy, State Youth President of Hindu Rashtra Shakti, has submitted a formal proposal to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands urging the implementation of an online and mobile app-based OPD (Outpatient Department) registration system.
GB Pant Hospital, the premier tertiary care institution in the islands, currently operates a manual registration process that results in long queues, with over 1,000 patients lining up daily. According to Roy, this leads to 2–3 hour wait times, overcrowding, and compromises on both patient safety and quality of care—especially impacting vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, pregnant women, and residents from remote islands.
The proposal outlines a comprehensive digital solution that includes mobile application and web portal-based booking, along with IVRS and SMS options for citizens lacking smartphones. It also recommends Aadhaar-linked authentication to avoid duplication and suggests real-time SMS alerts for token issuance, all aimed at minimizing crowding and streamlining access.
“This system will particularly benefit residents of remote islands who currently endure long and expensive journeys just to obtain an OPD token,” the letter states. It also suggests setting aside priority time slots for senior citizens, expectant mothers, and differently-abled individuals.
Roy estimates that implementing the system could reduce registration queues by 60–70%, allow transparent tracking of doctor availability, and improve resource planning during peak periods. He emphasized that this initiative would align with the goals of Digital India and the National Digital Health Mission, positioning GB Pant Hospital as a model for healthcare digitization in island territories.
The letter also appeals to the Lt. Governor to direct the hospital administration to initiate the project and allocate funds for app development, SMS gateways, and digital infrastructure. It further recommends forming a joint monitoring committee with members from the Health Department, NIC, and IT Department to oversee implementation.
