Jaipur: The health dept has launched evening OPD services at 669 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in urban areas, providing free consultations and treatment from 5pm to 7pm. The move is intended to widen access to govt healthcare facilities for residents who are unable to seek medical attention during regular daytime hours. The rollout comes after SMS Hospital started an evening OPD at its emergency unit, signalling a broader push to extend public health services beyond standard schedules.Officials said the extended hours are designed to support working residents and others who need care after routine timings, while also reducing dependence on private clinics for basic ailments. The dept expects the evening window to help patients who otherwise postpone treatment, particularly for common conditions such as fever and other primary-care needs that often arise later.A health dept official said, “Orders have been issued to make the govt’s healthcare facilities more accessible for the patients. A lot of people go to work during day time and if they go to hospitals for treatment during day time, they may lose their daily wages. During evening time, a lot of people require treatment for fever and basic treatment. Keeping this all in mind, we have launched the evening OPDs.”To implement the change, instructions have been issued to operate the centres in two shifts—morning and evening.
