The announcement that Goa Medical College Hospital (GMCH) will introduce online OPD booking from February 4. While digitisation of public services is welcome, this particular move raises serious questions about accessibility and fairness. GMC is a public institution, funded by taxpayers’ money, and primarily meant to serve the poor, the elderly, daily wage workers, and people from rural and semi-urban areas. For many of these citizens, owning an Android smartphone, having internet access, or navigating online booking apps is not a reality.
A large section of the poor basically use mobile phones only for making calls. Expecting them to compete for limited OPD slots through online booking is unrealistic and unfair. In practice, this system will naturally favour the educated, the digitally savvy, and those with better resources. The offline appointment process for the remaining slots will reportedly continue in parallel and can be availed through the existing queue system. But there is a hitch. Those who can book faster online will get first preference, while the poor who will have to stand in the queue will be marginalised.
The intention behind online OPD booking may be to reduce crowding and improve efficiency. However, technology should not be a barrier to services. One suggestion would be to have a common numbering system for both online and offline booking instead of the first-come, first-served basis, which will favour online booking.
