Srinagar, July 25: Days after doctors at SMHS Hospital suspended services in protest over the assault of a colleague by an attendant, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday stated that while such incidents warrant investigation, shutting down critical services like operation theatres and emergency wards is unjustified and unfair to patients.
Speaking to the media during her visit to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, Itoo said, “I agree the incident should not have happened. If someone has committed a crime, the law must take its course. But that should not come at the cost of patient care.”
She expressed concern that patients, particularly those travelling from remote areas, are being made to suffer due to the closure of essential hospital departments. “The patients arriving the next day are not responsible for what happened. Why should they suffer? Investigations must happen, but punishing innocent patients is unacceptable,” she said.
The minister emphasized that accountability and patient care must go hand in hand. “We cannot justify shutting down operation theatres, in-patient departments, or emergency services. This is intolerable. Doctors are like our brothers and sisters, but if there’s any lapse in patient care, it becomes a serious issue.”
Itoo also noted that she had visited another hospital and observed a surge in patient load, which she attributed to the disruption at SMHS. “This is not right. We will not allow this to continue,” she asserted.
While acknowledging that doctors cannot guarantee medical outcomes, Itoo stressed the importance of professionalism and effective communication with patients and their families. “Doctors must maintain proper conduct. Healing is in the hands of Allah, but doctors must ensure there is no negligence or miscommunication,” she said.
Referring to the recent incident, she called for a formal police complaint and a thorough investigation. She also criticized the blanket suspension of services, noting that there is no official provision that allows doctors to completely halt medical care.
On the issue of alleged medical negligence, she said proper inquiries must be conducted wherever complaints arise. “If any doctor is found guilty in an investigation, strict action must be taken. In the past too, disciplinary measures have been enforced in such cases,” she added.
Regarding reported confrontations involving media personnel, she said those incidents too should be addressed as per law.
“Patients must never be made to bear the brunt of any protest,” she concluded. “Hospitals deal with sensitive lives. If something wrong has happened, the law will act—but repeating mistakes by halting services cannot be justified.”(Media reports)
