Gynecologist at SDH Kupwara attached for being vocal on Covid-19 related issues

Kashmir Age Report

Srinagar, June 26: A lady gynecologist at Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara in north Kashmir was attached by the authorities after she spoke about the problems inside the hospital to tackle Covid-19 pandemic.

Lady gynecologist of Kupwara said that amid Covid-19 pandemic she spoke about the lack of safety measures for doctors and also requested that there is urgency to create a separate red zone for gynea patients inside the hospital.

While speaking out openly about these issues, she alleged that she was harassed and finally attached to the directorate office on May 12.

She is not the only doctor who because of being vocal faced the ire of authorities. During the Covid-19 lockdown reports across India shows that hospitals are threatening to fire health-care workers who publicise their working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic— and have in some cases followed through.

During Covid-19, the medicos had denounced unsafe working conditions, shortages of personal protective equipment, insufficient infection control training, limited testing of healthcare workers, and lack of access to vital healthcare.

“When I first raised the concern about the lack of safety gear for doctors like lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and N95 face masks I was asked to keep quiet but I did not. Then I raised the matter of having separate red zone ward for gynea patients. The concerned block medical officer (BMO) and chief medical officer (CMO) did not listen to my pleas and instead humiliated me,” the doctor said.

Her miseries did not end here and she was assigned the day night duty task to work for seven straight days. Same work was being done by seven doctors. “ By doing this the authorities made me a target and I was threatened that an FIR will be lodged against me.”

The doctor added that despite working for days and nights she was also denied the safety gear mainly N95 masks which were kept for other preferred staff.

Since the attachment order of concerned gynecologist reached the public, the local people including the para-medical staff staged a protest and asked the authorities to revoke the attachment order and let the concerned gynecologist work smoothly at SDH Kupwara.

Being the lone female gynecologist at SDH Kupwara, she claimed that during one month of Covid-19 lockdown SDH Kupwara has managed to perform 122 LSCs and out of which 77 were done by her.

Adding that it was only when she had raised concerns with the authorities a separate red zone for gynea patients were created.

Following this episode a team from the office of directorate of health services Kashmir reached SDH Kupwara and started inquiry into the matter.

It has been more than a month since the concerned lady doctor was attached and during this time the patients are complaining about their miseries.

When contacted director health services Kashmir, Dr. Samir Matoo told Kashmir Age that the particular doctor has misbehaved with CMO Kupwara and the department has initiated inquiry which is going on. “The doctor has been attached to my office and she is working there,” said director.