Patient dies ‘in absence of doctors’ in Pulwama

Death of a trader sparked protests against doctors of District Hospital in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday. The protesters alleged that due to absence of doctors in the hospital during late hours on Sunday, they were forced to shift the patient to Srinagar but he died on the way.

“My cousin Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh son of Muhammad Abdullah, a resident of Aarihal Pulwama, complained of heartache on Sunday night. We rushed him to District Hospital Pulwama but to our surprise and shock not a single doctor was present in the hospital,” said a protester to CNS.

He added that without wasting any time, they managed a private vehicle and tried to shift the patient to SKIMS Srinagar. “After covering a distance of some 4 kilometers, Manzoor died on way.”

The protesters demanded stringent punishment for the negligent doctors who according to them play with the lives of the people. “It is the responsibility of the hospital head to manage the affairs of the hospital. The authorities should take him to task. We sincerely believe that Manzoor could have been saved if there would have been any doctor present in the hospital,” the protesters said.

“I don’t know anything about it. I will verify,” said in-charge Medical Superintendent Pulwama hospital, Dr A.G. Dar. (CNS)