Berhampur’s Red Cross Urban Primary Health Centre has launched Odisha’s first 12-hour outpatient department pilot at a government-run healthcare facility, extending access to medicine, gynaecology and paediatrics services from 8 am to 8 pm every day.
The extended OPD service was inaugurated on Thursday by Berhampur MLA K Anil Kumar in the presence of Berhampur Municipal Corporation mayor Sanghamitra Dalei, commissioner A Sasya Reddy, health officials and corporators. Officials said the longer operating hours are intended to make primary healthcare more accessible and reduce patient pressure on MKCG Medical College and Hospital and City Hospital.
The Red Cross UPHC, which is six years old, previously operated its OPD for six hours a day in two shifts — from 8 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 8 pm. Under the pilot, the facility will remain available continuously for 12 hours, allowing patients to seek treatment during a wider range of daytime and evening hours.
“With the 12-hour OPD, residents would be able to access healthcare services more conveniently,” MLA K Anil Kumar said at the inauguration.
The expanded service includes daily specialist clinics in medicine, gynaecology and paediatrics from 11 am to 2 pm, city programme officer for UPHCs Lambodar Digal said. The centre has also received additional staffing support, including one doctor, three staff nurses and two pharmacists, to operate the longer schedule.
The facility currently records an average daily footfall of around 120 patients and provides several diagnostic services, officials said. Its extended hours are being introduced as part of the government’s programme to increase the duration of OPD services at urban primary health centres.
“As part of the govt’s programme to extend OPD services to 12 hours, we have doubled the duration of operations at Red Cross UPHC,” Digal said.
Berhampur has eight UPHCs operating under the National Health Mission. The Red Cross centre’s pilot status means the model may be assessed before being introduced at other facilities. BeMC commissioner A Sasya Reddy said the initiative could be extended to more UPHCs depending on its success, while additional specialist clinics could also be introduced based on public demand.
The pilot places the UPHC closer to its role as an accessible first point of care, while the city’s two larger hospitals continue to serve patients from Berhampur and neighbouring districts. Officials said the next step will be to assess the pilot’s performance and consider its extension to other urban primary health centres.
