Srinagar: Twenty-six days after the death of her infant son at SKIMS Soura, a woman took to social media to accuse doctors of negligence, narrating in detail the sequence of events that, she said, led to the death on October 18.
In a Facebook post, the woman said the incident began on the night of Friday, October 17, when her baby, Ahmed, fell ill with vomiting, flu, and a fever of 101°F. The next morning, she said, she searched for a paediatrician and was informed that most would be available only after 5 pm. However, Dr Tanveer Bashir, a paediatrician at Noora Hospital, was reportedly available.
“Before leaving for the hospital, we confirmed twice that the doctor would be available, as it was Friday. The staff assured us he would be there from 11 am to 4 pm,” she wrote.
According to her, they reached the hospital at around noon, only to be told that the doctor was at the emergency ward and would arrive in 10-15 minutes. After waiting for over an hour, she said she again enquired if he had gone for Friday prayers but was told he was still in the ER. Around 2:30 pm, the doctor arrived ‘from outside the hospital’ and began seeing patients by 2:45 pm.
The mother alleged that Dr Bashir did not conduct a physical examination of the child, “neither his chest nor fever was checked, only his weight by the receptionist.” She claimed he prescribed medicines without examining the baby for dehydration, despite being told the child was vomiting and unwell.
That night, as her son’s condition worsened, the family took him to the SKIMS Soura emergency department. There, she alleged, they found only one doctor Dr Tahir, who was on duty and no nurse in sight. The doctor advised giving oral rehydration solution (ORS), but after the parents insisted on intravenous fluids, the nurse was called and allegedly “pricked the baby multiple times, about eight, before managing to draw blood.”
The woman further alleged that both the nurse and the doctor went to sleep while her child remained under observation, and when she and her husband sought help as the baby’s condition deteriorated, the doctor dismissed their concerns.
“When my son’s lips started turning blue, we checked his oxygen level and it was 64. The doctor said the machine wasn’t working properly,” she wrote. “Even then, he didn’t check my son.”
She said a senior doctor later rushed to the emergency unit, scolding (trada ye kya kuruth) the junior doctor, and the child was shifted to the NICU. “At NICU, we were told the oxygen had not reached the brain. After 20 minutes, they declared Ahmed dead,” she wrote.
The family claimed to have been at the hospital from 3 am until 10:15 am, when the child was pronounced dead. They said they have been awaiting action ever since, despite being told by the doctors’ association that the matter was under review.
“I brought my son out of NICU in silence, respecting hospital rules. Till this day, we are waiting for justice,” she wrote, appealing for public attention through social media.
In response to the viral post, the SKIMS administration issued a clarification stating that a committee had been constituted to probe the complaint received from the parents on October 18, 2025.
“The head of the department concerned has already attached the involved doctors with the convenor of the committee, on the same day the committee was formed, as an interim measure,” the statement read.
It added that the committee was in the final stages of inquiry and awaiting the parents’ version “to ensure a fair, transparent, and comprehensive investigation.”
“The SKIMS administration assures that justice will be delivered, and strict action will be taken if anyone is found guilty. There is zero tolerance for any casual or negligent approach by doctors, nursing staff, or paramedical personnel while dealing with patients,” the statement, signed by the Medical Superintendent, SKIMS, said.
