One Day's Experience



Life is a journey and living beings tend to keep on moving for various reasons. I happened to travel to Bumthang, the spiritual heartland of our country. I was sick and visited the hospital…so here goes my day’s experience in Bumthang.
I was in the hospital at 8.51 AM and saw few people lined in front of the reception counter. The counter opened at exactly 9.04 AM and I was in the queue. There was just one person between me and the receptionist and I was greeted by a notice on the counter window which asked all the patients to bring a Note book for their health record.
I had to get out of the line and hunt for the nearest shop. I got one, just near the hospital. I randomly picked a book and looked at the price. The MRP was over written with a blue marker. I asked the little girl at the counter about the cost who took the book inside to ask her mom. When she came back, the price shocked me. It was Nu. 50. I scratched the marker and found out that the MRP was just Nu. 35. I could not argue with the little girl, respecting her age and consoling my health. 
The book which i paid Nu. 50 though it was just Nu. 35
Back at the reception counter, I got myself registered at 9.18 AM. The receptionist, after entering all my details in the register and my note book handed me a form where she noted the time I was entered. It was written as 9.16 (2 minutes earlier than I got there)
Seeking direction from the women, I headed to the chamber just to find the door latched. I waited there with two more patients. The time was 9.30 Am and the length of the queue increased. I was so sick that I could not stand in the line anymore, so I took two steps aside to look for any signs of the doctor. Turning back to the queue, the people behind me have overtaken my place. I had to settle at the last though I was the first.
At 9.40, a women in white coat came out from the opposite chamber and entered our chamber. At last the doctor is here. Some patients went in and came out within seconds murmuring blames. My turn came. I got in and saw the doctor leaning on the table. I shared her symptoms and she sat down. We had few questions and answer exchanged and she prescribed me some drugs clearly explaining the miracles of each one. Before thanking her, I gave the form that the receptionist issued me. She was supposed to fill up the time when I was diagnosed by her. But to my surprise she just blamed the form and blankly filled up the time 9.20. in paper, it just took 4 minutes for me to get myself registered, meet the doctor and get the drugs. what a swift service. 
The form that was filled up
The time indicated that I was diagnosed even before she came. By the way, the form was taken by the women at the dispensary counter but I have the picture snapped. (The time when the photo was snapped will clearly authenticate the time)
I don’t blame her or the hospital but I blame myself for not being able to question them. I blame my complacent character accepting everything despite knowing its wrong.
My experience does not end here…. Out from the OPD gate, I saw people selling fast food in the open air and one from his maruti van. I am sure everybody knows how windy and dusty Bumthang is.

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