Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, May 7: In what could be termed as the most irresponsible and negligent conduct of healthcare personnel, an elderly patient remained locked for hours at the New Type Public Health Centre (NTPHC) Kapran in Anantnag district.
The incident occurred on Monday when the patient, Abdul Shakoor, 70, was admitted to the Day Care section of the hospital. Upon the administration of a glucose drip by the concerned staff and after the initial examination, the man was allegedly left unattended, and the hospital was later locked.
In this regard, a video went viral on social media platforms in which a man could be seen standing at the window of the hospital’s first floor, trying to gain the attention of people around, hoping for help in coming out of the locked hospital building.
The person who shot the video of the man standing at the window of the hospital can be heard referring to the time when the video was shot—around 4 in the evening—and how the patient was left unattended as the staff locked the hospital door as they called it a day. “It seems that they locked the hospital at 3:30 pm, leaving the elderly patient inside,” he said.
The patient can also be seen dropping his prescription for the people assembled outside the hospital to let them know his identity and the reason he was admitted to the Day Care.
Taking note of the matter, the authorities on late Monday evening ordered the suspension of four persons working at the NTPHC Kapran, including a doctor and a pharmacist, while initiating an inquiry into the matter to ascertain the facts.
Those who have been suspended by the Block Medical Officer (BMO), Verinag, related to the case of “gross negligence,” include Dr. Towseef Ahmad Lone, Medical Officer, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, Junior Pharmacist, Gul Mohd Sheikh, nursing orderly, and a sanitation worker at the NTPHC.
“Pending inquiry, officials at NTPHC Kapran have been placed under suspension with immediate effect for their gross negligence while admitting a patient in the Day Care/OPD ward,” reads an order issued by the BMO Verinag.
Eyewitnesses informed that the patient remained locked inside for hours until 5 in the evening when finally a local caretaker was brought in to assist in unlocking the hospital, allowing the elderly man to finally go home.
BMO Verinag, Muhammad Yousuf, told ‘Excelsior’ that he has recommended the suspension of all the four and the matter is being inquired into as to what transpired, while claiming that the hospital was closed at 4 in the evening.
“The inquiry team will visit the hospital tomorrow to ascertain the facts related to the incident, rest will follow only after that,” he added.
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