{
  "id": 1494322,
  "title": "Display clear signages in hospitals: Keralam Health Minister",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/display-clear-signages-in-hospitals-keralam-health-minister",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-17T14:09:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/display-clear-signages-in-hospitals-keralam-health-minister/article71356445.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kerala's Health Minister, K. Muraleedharan, has instructed government hospitals to prominently display signboards, aiming to enhance patient-friendliness and transparency. The Health Minister suggested that vital details about doctors, such as their outpatient clinic schedules and days, be clearly displayed. This directive followed numerous complaints from the public about inadequate healthcare services in government institutions. Specifically, patients often faced long waits due to absentee doctors during outpatient hours. The Health Minister has tasked the Principal Secretary (Health) with implementing these changes swiftly across all government healthcare facilities, ranging from primary healthcare centers to hospital headquarters. He emphasized that information about sanctioned doctor positions, existing vacancies, individual doctor's schedules, and consultation times must be visible to patients and the public and updated regularly. Additionally, the display of contact details for the Deputy District Medical Officer (Vigilance) would facilitate patient grievances. Muraleedharan stressed the government's accountability for timely patient care and warned against lapses in treatment, urging the immediate installation of these display boards.",
  "summary": "He suggested that the details of doctors in public hospitals, their outpatient (OP) clinic days and timings be clearly displayed in hospitals.",
  "key_points": [
    "K. Muraleedharan, Kerala's Health Minister, orders signboards in hospitals.",
    "Vital doctor details like clinic schedules to be prominently displayed.",
    "Implementation aims to improve patient-friendliness and transparency."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}