Bhubaneswar, June 5: Specialised medical attention at the outpatient departments of All India Institute of Medical Sciences here is available for as low as Rs 10. However, to reach the facility, one has to shell out Rs 100 or more as autorickshaw fare.

The much-awaited outpatient departments (OPDs) started functioning at the hospital yesterday at the departments of surgery, gynaecology, ophthalmology and ENT.

But communication has become a major problem for people visiting All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), with the hospital being 13km away from the city. City bus service has still not begun on this route. So, for those without their own means of transport, reserving autorickshaws remains the only option.

People travelling by bus have to get down at Aiginia, the nearest bus stop. It is 3km away from AIIMS. However, it is this small distance that has exacerbated the problems of patients and their relatives.

“The city bus drops commuters at Aiginia Square from where they have to reserve an autorickshaw. The drivers demand up to Rs 100 for covering the 3km distance. The authorities must find a solution to this problem. Otherwise many people would cancel their hospital visits because they had no way of getting there. It would be better if the city bus service is extended till AIIMS,” said Prabhat Samal, relative of a patient. Apart from impacting people’s well-being, cancelling hospital visits would also have a significant financial impact on its services.

At present, 30 city buses ply through Aiginia Square, which includes 10 buses up to Khurda.

“Recently, the city bus service was extended till Chandaka. So, there is no reason why it cannot be extended till AIIMS,” said Khandagiri resident Prabhakar Behera.

Officials of Dream Team Sahara, the private operator of the city bus service, said that they had no plan to extend the service till AIIMS.

Around 60 patients, including 15 on the first day, have visited the OPDs. It would remain open from 8.30am to 1.30pm while the specialty clinics for paediatrics and cardiology departments would remain open from 2.30pm to 5pm.

At present, blood tests, oxygen saturation and electro-cardiogram tests are being done at the OPDs. In 15 days, cholesterol, liver function and kidney function tests will also be done. The registration charge for visiting the OPDs, which will run on all days except Sundays and central government holidays, is Rs 10.

“As we do not have indoor facilities such as beds and life-saving equipment, patients’ relatives are advised not to bring serious patients to the OPDs. We have 70 senior doctors to manage the OPDs,” said AIIMS director Ashok Mohapatra.