Kochi: Persistent glitches in the e-Health platform under the Health Department have thrown government hospitals and health centres into disarray, forcing the public to endure long delays even for basic services such as OP ticket issuance.

Disruptions in the system, triggered by frequent server failures, have also affected laboratory services, pharmacy operations, and several other patient-related processes in hospitals. The e-Health system in Kerala, operated through a central server based in Thiruvananthapuram, handles everything from OP registrations and prescription generation to medicine dispensing, laboratory services, and inpatient admissions.

According to sources, server-related issues have worsened significantly over the past two months. The disruptions have affected government healthcare institutions across the district, from primary health centres to general hospitals, slowing down routine operations and causing widespread inconvenience. With government laboratories also integrated into the e-Health network, delays are now being reported in issuing test results as well.

Authorities are currently relying on temporary fixes whenever complaints arise, but demands are mounting for a permanent solution to the recurring server failures. Suggestions have also emerged for setting up local servers at the hospital level to reduce dependence on the centralised system and ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.