Sweeper caught giving injection to patient at Ganderbal hospital, inquiry ordered again

July 10, 2025 by News Desk

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Shah Basit

Another case of medical negligence has been reported from Kashmir, this time from the Shuhama area in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, where a video has surfaced showing a hospital sanitation worker administering an injection to a female patient at a government-run Public Health Centre (PHC). The disturbing footage has triggered widespread outrage on social media and renewed concerns about the safety of patients and the functioning of rural healthcare facilities in the region.

In the now-viral video, the sanitation worker, with no formal medical attire or gloves, is seen preparing a syringe and injecting it into the woman, while a bystander attempts to intervene. The sweeper, unflustered, argues that he has been performing such tasks regularly and claims he was acting on instructions from the local medical staff. “I’ve done dressings and injections before. This is nothing new for me,” he is heard saying in the clip.

Health authorities confirmed to The Kashmiriyat that a formal inquiry has been initiated. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Ganderbal, said, “We are taking this incident seriously. A team has been formed to investigate the lapse. If found guilty, strict action will be taken against those responsible.” He stressed that only trained professionals are authorised to perform medical procedures and any deviation is a serious violation of protocol.

The revelation has sent shockwaves across Kashmir. A civil rights activist from Ganderbal speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “This isn’t merely a procedural lapse, it’s a breach of ethics and endangers patient lives. The fact that a sweeper is performing injections points to a chronic staffing crisis.”

Locals in Shuhama expressed both anger and concern over the incident. “We come to these centres for treatment, not for experiments. If they don’t have enough staff, they should say so. Don’t risk our lives,” said Shabnam Jan, a resident who frequently visits the PHC for her elderly mother’s care.

The incident has also led to political reactions. For many, this latest incident is not just an isolated error but symptomatic of a healthcare system in urgent need of reform, especially in remote areas of Kashmir where infrastructure exists but adequate personnel do not. “This is what happens when you leave public health to survive on jugaad,” the activist said.