While local doctors’ clinics provide affordable treatment but struggle with irregular timings, private clinics guarantee structured service yet burden patients with high fees and extra prescriptions.
Published Aug 30, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 30, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Central railway station in Chennai. (iStock)
Synopsis: Chennai residents constantly weigh trade-offs between cost, accessibility and reliable care before doctor consultations. While good care is available in the city, it often comes with compromises, of timing, money, or availability, making equitable healthcare access still a distant goal.
Chennai’s healthcare story is not just about private hospitals and nonprofit institutions; it is also about the city’s ambitious evening clinics run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
Launched in 2023 across health and wellness centres, these clinics, operating from 4 pm to 8 pm, quickly became popular because they offered free consultations, blood tests, and even specialised check-ups in many wards. For working professionals, students and senior citizens, the clinics promised accessible, no-cost healthcare.
However, two years on, the picture looks less encouraging. Several centres have been struggling with vacant doctor posts, irregular timings and insufficient infrastructure. Residents complain of long waits, unavailable doctors and the risk of losing continuity of care, with some wards even without permanent medical staff.
Even where doctors have been posted, shortages of specialists, poor remuneration and frequent resignations have weakened services. Patients who once celebrated the convenience of free evening clinics find themselves uncertain of the availability of a doctor. They demand that the government urgently strengthen staffing and facilities to prevent the model from collapsing.
This uneven reality mirrors Chennai’s broader clinic landscape, where patients constantly weigh trade-offs between cost, accessibility and reliable care.
The reality of Chennai’s General Health Care Clinics presents a mixed picture. These clinics, often promoted as an option for working professionals, students, and those unable to visit hospitals during the day, do provide some relief. But on the ground, challenges of availability, affordability, and timing remain.
Small clinics run by doctors practising elsewhere offer good care but are often irregular, while private clinics, though reliable, remain costly and tend to push patients toward unnecessary medicines, adding to the burden.
The local clinics, which are operated by doctors who are primarily attached to major hospitals but consult patients in smaller setups during specific hours, offer good care at affordable charges.
The timings of these clinics are often flexible and vary depending on the doctor’s hospital schedule. For example, a doctor may be available between 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm, and later from 4.30 pm to 6 pm. However, these hours may shift based on their primary commitments.
Patients remain largely understanding of this irregularity. One patient remarked that while the doctor’s availability is limited due to his hospital duties, the medical care offered at the clinic is consistently good. The relatively low consultation fee of ₹200–₹300 also makes these clinics accessible and popular.
The system is simple: Patients may either walk in directly or have an appointment — which is not necessary. Doctors generally provide basic check-ups such as monitoring blood pressure, temperature, and other routine assessments.
If a patient calls ahead to inquire, clinic staff usually inform them of the doctor’s availability, though sudden emergencies at the hospital can still affect timings.
Private clinics in the city operate for extended hours, often from morning until late evening, and in some cases, 24 hours. They are well-equipped with modern facilities and provide predictable timings, which patients find reassuring. However, this structured service comes at a higher price; general consultation alone costs between ₹500 and ₹600, in which the medicines are not included.
The process in these clinics is uniform. On arrival, patients are issued an outpatient slip and asked to wait briefly. Basic checks, such as blood pressure, temperature and weight, are carried out, and symptoms are recorded. This information is then handed over to the consulting doctor, who reviews it, interacts with the patient, and prescribes medicines.
The prescribed drugs must usually be purchased at the in-house pharmacy. Several patients said that doctors often prescribe more medicines than necessary, leaving them with the feeling that they are being pushed to spend extra.
Despite these concerns, patients continue to prefer private clinics because of their certainty and efficiency. Many said that the assurance of meeting a doctor at a fixed time outweighs the cost. As one patient, who had come in for a consultation, put it: “I know I can get the right doctor at the right time, which matters to me more than the money I pay.”
The Voluntary Health Service (VHS) hospitals, a well-known non-profit with multiple branches across Chennai, are trusted for their affordable care. General consultations cost about ₹100, which makes them accessible to a wide range of patients who cannot afford private clinics. However, the biggest challenge patients face here is timing.
The General outpatient department functions only from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm, after which only emergency and vaccination services are available. While the hospital itself operates 24/7, general OP consultations stop after the morning session, leaving college students and working professionals unable to access services outside these hours.
Even within the available timings, irregularities add to the frustration. Patients often complain that doctors are not consistently available, and in some cases, they are asked to wait for long periods only to be told later that the doctor will not be coming.
At times, even requests made through the emergency service for consultations are turned down. A student pointed out, “I can’t make it in the morning because of classes, and private clinics are too expensive for regular visits,” reflecting how limited access affects patients who depend on affordable healthcare.
Despite these challenges, VHS hospitals continue to attract patients because of their low cost and reputation for providing decent care. Yet, the restricted timings and irregular doctor availability leave many feeling that accessibility is compromised, undermining the very purpose of offering low-cost healthcare.
Chennai’s clinic landscape reflects a clear trade-off between cost, care, and accessibility. While local doctors’ clinics provide affordable treatment but struggle with irregular timings, private clinics guarantee structured service yet burden patients with high fees and extra prescriptions.
Non-profit hospitals like VHS remain affordable but restrict general consultations to limited hours, often leaving students and working professionals underserved. Together, these realities highlight that while good care is available in the city, it often comes with compromises, of timing, money, or availability, making equitable healthcare access still a distant goal.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
