Evening OPDs to Be Introduced in Government Hospitals Across Bengal

Pradip Chatterjee, MP, 14 Feb 2026, Kolkata: The State Health Department has decided to keep the outpatient departments (OPDs) of various state-run hospitals across Bengal functional in the evening for three hours, which will be immensely beneficial for patients.

It was decided that, in the initial phase, the evening OPDs will be kept open in the Superspecialty, State General and Sub-divisional hospitals from 3 pm to 6 pm. Senior health officials have already communicated the directives to the Chief Medical Officer of Health in each district.

Political experts in the state have said that the state government has given a masterstroke ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, as people from across the state will be able to consult a doctor in the OPDs of government hospitals in the evening hours as well.

Health officials believe that the extension of the OPD duration will improve the quality of treatment. Around 85 government hospitals will initially offer the evening OPD facilities, out of which there are 71 Superspecialty, State General and Sub-divisional hospitals. The facilities will also open in 14 district hospitals as well.

According to health department sources, there must be a minimum of 4–5 doctors in a department if evening OPD has to be opened. Preparations were being carried out in several districts.

“We are finalising a plan to start evening OPDs at state-run medical colleges and other hospitals. The move aims to reduce the load on the day OPDs and ensure better treatment,” a senior official in the state health department said.

The OPDs at government hospitals are open from 9 am to 2 pm. The huge rush at the OPDs leaves hardly any time for doctors to examine patients. The doctors often cannot spend more than two to three minutes on a patient. But for proper treatment, one needs more time to thoroughly examine a patient.

“Our OPDs are overburdened. The extension of the OPD duration would result in more examination and treatment time,” the official added.