Sarathi to guide patients through Government Medical College and Hospital’s labyrinth in Chandigarh.

Chandigarh: A highly successful medical volunteering initiative that slashed patient wait times at one of India’s premier medical institutes is being expanded to other major regional hospitals after winning central govt’s backing.The Govt Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, will replicate the 'Project Sarathi' model that the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has pioneered, deploying student volunteers to help patients navigate its sprawling public healthcare complex.A National Benchmark for Public HealthLaunched in May 2024, Project Sarathi utilises National Service Scheme (NSS) school and college students to guide patients through crowded outpatient departments and diagnostic centres.

The initiative has expanded rapidly across India.The health and family welfare ministry has designated the model a “best practice”, linking it to the national experiential learning framework on the central MY Bharat portal.The programme has onboarded 1,467 hospitals across 34 states and Union territories, with 647 institutes actively engaging more than 6,400 volunteers. GMCH's adoption follows significant, measurable improvements in patient care metrics at the PGI over the past two years.

PGI deputy director of administration Pankaj Rai confirmed that GMCH had initiated the programme, with staff already dispatched to support the transition. By integrating local student volunteers, the hospital aims to ease logistical stress for visitors while fostering civic service among regional youth.