4 min readChandigarhFeb 12, 2026 12:24 AM IST In a move aimed at reducing pressure on tertiary healthcare centres, the Health Department has initiated speciality services at the Manimajra Civil Hospital. Dr Suman Singh, Director Health Services, said the decision was taken in response to sustained demands from residents of surrounding areas for access to specialist care closer home. As part of the initiative, services in psychiatry, dermatology, and paediatrics provide services at the hospital. The services are being offered under a slot-based model, like the one already implemented in peripheral areas under the PM-ABHIM framework. Under this system, specialists will provide consultations at the civil hospital for fixed two-hour slots. Doctors will be compensated based on the duration of services rendered, as per department norms. The primary objective of the initiative is to reduce patient burden on major hospitals while strengthening secondary-level healthcare facilities. With specialist consultations now available at Manimajra Civil Hospital, patients who earlier had to seek referrals to GMSH-16 or GMCH-32 for treatment. Dr Singh said the initiative had already shown …