Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday established two distinct committees to investigate allegations of negligence which resulted in the death of a pregnant woman this week at Sub District Hospital (SDH) Banihal and complaints of inadequate medicine supplies at the District Hospital Ramban.
According to an official order, the inquiry into alleged medical negligence will be led by the District Programme Officer, Poshan Ramban. The investigation into reports of medicine unavailability at DH Ramban will be spearheaded by the Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Ramban.
The order stated, “Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a committee to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the death of a lady, namely Afroza Begum, Wife of Zakir Hussain, Resident of Neel, due to the alleged negligence of Doctors and Hospital Staff at Sub District Hospital (SDH) Banihal.”
The committee, chaired by Jahangir Hashmi, JKAS District Programme Officer, Ramban Poshan, will include Zaheer Abass Bhat, JKAS Sub Divisional Magistrate, Banihal, Dr Kamal Jee Zadoo, Chief Medical Officer, Ramban, Nasir Javeed, Tehsildar, Pogal Paristan, and Dr G L Manhas as its members. The committee has been mandated to submit a comprehensive report along with recommendations within four days of its formation.
The move follows the circulation of a viral video on social media in which a man claimed that his wife experienced pain while travelling from Srinagar to Jammu and was admitted to the District Hospital Ramban. The complainant alleged that he had to procure medicines outside the hospital due to the unavailability of drugs within the facility.
A separate committee has been instituted to investigate these claims, as per the order.
Giasul Haq, JKAS Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Ramban, will serve as the committee’s Chairman, with Dr Kamal Jee Zadoo, Chief Medical Officer, Ramban, Deepak Kumar, District Treasury Officer, Ramban, and Dr Varinder Trisal, MS DH Ramban, as members.
The committee has been directed to submit a detailed report, along with specific comments and recommendations, to the office within a week. (KNO)
