Probe ordered into ‘negligence’ in treatment

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 26

The authorities in Kashmir have ordered a probe into the alleged mishandling of a Covid patient from Hyderpora who died in a hospital on Thursday.

The inquiry has been ordered by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, to know if the protocol was followed in the case of the patient, who tested positive on Tuesday at Chest Diseases Hospital, Srinagar.

Did not hide Travel history: family

The family says they first took the patient to SKIMS Hospital, Bemina, on March 18 during which he was advised to go for home quarantine. As his condition deteriorated, the family took him to SMHS Hospital on March 22, from where he was referred to CD Hospital and admitted there, Zaffar Ahmad Anim, the doctor nephew of the deceased, said

Due to the alleged lapses in protocol, more than 70 people, including seven doctors, who had come into the contact with the deceased before he was tested positive for coronavirus, have been put in quarantine. The patient had a travel history to Delhi, Deoband, Jammu and Andaman and Nicobar. Four of his colleagues have also been tested positive and hospitalised.

The traumatised family, on the other hand, maintained that they had all along revealed the travel history of the deceased to the doctors at SKIMS, Soura, in Srinagar but he was refused testing and admission.

On the other hand, the order of the Divisional Commissioner also reveals that the patient was mishandled by the authorities at CD Hospital and SKIMS, Bemina.

“Principal, SKIMS Medical College Hospital, Bemina, vide his communication No. SKIMS-MC-PS/2020/39g dated: 25-03-2020 has submitted a report indicating that a 65-year-old patient, resident of Hyderpora, Srinagar, who reported to casualty of SKIMS Medical College Hospital, Bemina, on 21-03-2020 at 08.30 AM, along with his travel history, was found to be a Covid-19 suspect,” reads the order by the Divisional Commissioner.

As further revealed in the order, the patient kept meeting the public and relatives due to the mismanagement of the doctors. “The negligence at the hands of hospital administration has resulted in a lot of confusion and vulnerability amongst masses.

“The report further reveals that (even after) knowing the travel history of the patient and observing his symptoms, the hospital administration had not brought it into the notice of Divisional/District/Police authorities when he left the hospital without getting admitted,” the order further reads.

Tassaduq Hussain Mir, Additional Commissioner, Kashmir, shall enquire into the matter for exemplary action against these officers, it added.