Meer Irfan
Patients at District Hospital Pulwama have raised concerns about alleged medical negligence, claiming a lack of doctors in the casualty ward and accusing the medical staff of insufficient care.
Meenu Jan, a resident of Pulwama, recounted her distressing experience when she brought her mother to the hospital after she complained of body pain.
According to Meenu, upon arriving at the casualty ward around 1 P.M., there were no doctors present. Instead, patients were reportedly self-administering treatment, and attendants were taking on the role of caregivers.
“We reached the hospital around 1 P.M. and did not find any doctors there. In fact, those admitted at the hospital were themselves putting on the drips, and attendants were self-treating their patients in the absence of any doctors,” Meenu Jan expressed her dismay over the phone while speaking to The Kashmiriyat.
Accompanying her account were videos and photos revealing patients engaged in self-treatment and a scarcity of medical professionals. Meenu Jan claimed that some students were casually roaming and taking selfies inside the hospital, labeling it as “highly shameful.”
Despite these allegations, Dr. Abdul Gani, the medical superintendent of District Hospital Pulwama, firmly denied any medical negligence. He asserted that the hospital provides one of the best services in the district and suggested that the claims might be unfounded.
“The hospital is one of the best; however, these allegations have not come into my notice. Photographs and videos can be fake. There normally are four to five doctors in the casualty,” stated Dr. Abdul Gani. He further emphasized the hospital’s commitment to providing hi-tech facilities, acknowledging that doctors have other responsibilities.
“We have CCTV cameras installed in the hospital. I will investigate the matter, and if found true, we will take action against the accused,” assured Dr. Abdul Gani, addressing the concerns raised by Meenu Jan and other patients.
The conflicting accounts between the patients and the hospital officials have sparked a debate over the quality of healthcare services at District Hospital Pulwama, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the alleged medical negligence.