Dr Masoon Ahmad Beig
With pen irritating soul, trembling hands and a gloomy all around writing about the Maternity and Childcare Hospital of my home district Anantnag were the heart wrenching incident took place on the first day of Ramadan. This hospital in Anantnag has turned into a slaughter house. MCH is always in the news some times for good but mostly for negligence, rude and arrogant behaviour by the doctors and other paramedical staff of the said hospital. Today’s tragic news about the women from Kharpora– The Red zone in Anantnag has shook the very foundations of humanity as the pregnant lady was kept unattended by doctors fearing that she might be Covid-19 carrier and she died along with her twins and this way three lives were lost in a jiffy. The lady was brought to MCH Anantnag after traveling more than 30 kilometers amid lockdown with a hope that she will become a mother, but in return she got abuses from the so called doctors for being from Red Zone. Being the resident of Red Zone is not sin and does not mean that everyone is positive. This is a case of negligence as the so called doctors silenced three lives amid Covid -19 fear. Is it not a Murder? Yes it is a murder with a difference.
The tragedy is that on one hand we do not believe in caste, colour, sex or creed, but at MCH Anantnag the rude behaviour and use of abusive language by so called doctors is a question mark on Article-15 of the Indian constitution. Besides the doctors violated the fundamental right of the patient that is right to health which is guaranteed under the article 21(Right to Life) of Indian constitution.
Another tragedy is that every one posted and tweeted about the incident and condemn the incident, but the tweets will not bring the dead babies and mother back.
Another tragedy is that from the outbreak of Covid-19 the patients are not attended properly by the doctors. In some hospitals doctors give excuse of Covid -19 duties and have halted normal routine of consultation in hospitals. It is worth to mention here that in Jammu and Kashmir corona patients are less in number while as majority of the population are suffering from other diseases which need proper consultation and treatment otherwise we may lose many precious lives as was witnessed today at MCH Anantnag.
Another tragedy is that the health care facilities especially maternity health care is not up to mark in valley and the maternity related deaths are increasing with every passing day.
The tragedy does not end here but the present day pandemic COVID -19 has exposed the health sector as in most of the cases the doctors and paramedical staff are lacking self protection kits and are using simple homemade masks which is a blot on the health department. Had there been adequate facility to doctors and paramedical staff at MCH Anantnag with respect to corona virus protection kits they may have act immediately and may have saved the precious lives today.
Now the last tragedy is that till date many such incidents have occurred not only at MCH Anantnag but in other government hospitals of the valley but nothing has been done except suspension and attachment of doctors. But the need is that there should be severe punishment to the doctor so that such incidents may not happen in future and there is immediate need to upgrade the maternity services at district level hospitals so that we can save lives to large extent.
The Author teaches Geography at GDC Shopian. Can be reached at masoongeo@gmail.com
