New Delhi: Several hospitals across Delhi reported a dip in outpatient department (OPD) footfall Saturday as protests and movement restrictions affected access to healthcare, though major surgeries continued as scheduled and emergency services remained unaffected.At Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, one of the city’s most centrally located hospitals, doctors said OPDs witnessed lower footfall as many patients struggled to reach the facility, while those who made it to the hospital faced difficulties getting back home. Medical staff also reported delays in reaching the hospital, with Mother Teresa Crescent serving as the only access route and traffic moving slowly.“The OPD saw about 30% less crowd. Even the staff reached late due to the slow traffic movement,” said a senior doctor at RML.Another doctor said all pre-planned major surgeries went ahead as scheduled, noting that patients undergoing such procedures had typically been admitted two to three days in advance.Doctors at Safdarjung Hospital, however, said patient footfall remained largely normal.Private hospitals also reported a decline in OPD attendance, while some practitioners postponed non-urgent procedures because of concerns over travel disruptions and the availability of support staff.Dr (Major) Rajesh Bhardwaj, founder of Med First ENT Centre, said the clinic witnessed a 40-50% drop in OPD footfall as many non-critical patients chose to stay away amid uncertainty over travel and reports of the protest.“However, we ensured our consulting rooms remained accessible to anyone who came in, especially elderly patients and those coming for follow-up visits who could not postpone their appointments,” he said.Dr Bhardwaj said elective and routine procedures were scaled back to prioritise emergency cover and manage logistics. No emergency or oncological surgeries were deferred, but non-urgent procedures, including routine septoplasties and tonsillectomies, were postponed.The clinic also contacted patients with pre-booked appointments a day in advance and rescheduled non-urgent consultations and elective admissions.PSRI Hospital reported a similar trend.“We witnessed an unexpected and significant decline in outpatient footfall at PSRI Hospital today compared to a typical Saturday,” said Dr Anju Wali, medical director, PSRI Hospital.She said Saturdays were particularly important for patients seeking consultations without disrupting their weekday schedules.“We are closely assessing the possible operational and external factors behind this situation. Our priority remains ensuring that patients have uninterrupted access to timely, quality healthcare services,” Wali said.While hospitals largely maintained emergency services and major surgeries, the decline in OPD attendance and postponement of some elective procedures affected healthcare access across parts of the city.
