Explained: Why SMHS hospital in Srinagar saw protests, chaos and clash with journalists

Srinagar: A doctor getting slapped. Patients left waiting. Journalists being pushed. All of this happened at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar this week.

What happened first?

On July 22, a patient was brought to the emergency ward of SMHS Hospital. The doctor on duty, Dr Shahnawaz, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, said the patient had no heartbeat or pulse when he came in. He was quickly sent to another room for emergency treatment, but sadly, the patient passed away within 10-15 minutes.

Just after that, one of the patient’s relatives slapped the doctor, blaming him for not treating the patient properly. This was caught on a CCTV camera and the video was soon all over social media.

Why did the attendant slap the doctor?

The attendant, Abid Hassan Bhat, said the doctor ignored their requests to give oxygen to the patient. He claimed that while the patient was begging for help, the doctor just wrote down medicines and told him to buy them. When he returned with the medicines, the patient was already dead.

“I told him two-three times to take a look at the patient. However, the doctor just wrote the medicine on the prescription and sent me to fetch them. My brother in law was pleading with the doctor for five minutes to administer him oxygen as he was feeling suffocated. But the doctor didn’t care. Within minutes when I returned, the patient was dead, “ he was quoted as saying.

The doctor, on the other hand, said he checked the patient and acted quickly, sending him for resuscitation (emergency revival), but it was too late to save him.

What did the doctors do after that?

The next day, July 23, doctors began protesting. They were angry. Hundreds of doctors, interns, and medical staff from GMC Srinagar and nearby hospitals stopped working, including in the emergency and Outpatient Department (OPD).

They said this was not just about one doctor, but about the safety and respect of all healthcare workers. Their demands included, immediate arrest of the man who slapped the doctor, better security in emergency and ICU areas, one-attendant policy to stop overcrowding, legal protection for doctors at work

What happened to the patients?

Because of the protest, the emergency area was locked, and many patients didn’t get the treatment they came for. Videos showed patients waiting outside, some of them in serious condition.

Why were journalists assaulted?

When reporters and camerapersons went to cover the protest, a few of them were allegedly pushed and dragged by angry doctors. Even some women journalists were reportedly assaulted.

The Press Club of Kashmir strongly condemned the attack and asked for a full investigation. “This is not just an attack on journalists, it’s an attack on press freedom,” said the PCK president, Mohammad Saleem Pandit.

What is being done now?

An FIR (police case) has been registered. The person who slapped the doctor has been arrested. The hospital administration held talks with the doctors, and the strike was called off later that night. Many groups like the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) and United Doctors Front (UDF) have demanded a special law to protect doctors from such violence.

Today, health minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sakina Itoo, conducted a surprise visit to SMHS to review facilities and patient care.