CMO shuts OT of Ramzana Hospital, bans surgeries pending inquiry

After two back-to-back cases of alleged medical negligence at the privately-run Ramzana Hospital, the authorities have this time swung into action by sealing the Operation Theatre of the hospital while directing the concerned not to carry out any surgical procedures till the completion of the inquiry.
Officials told Excelsior that after taking note of the allegations of the family members of the lady who died due to alleged medical negligence of the doctors at Ramzana Hospital situated at Gogji Bagh, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Srinagar was promptly directed to take the necessary action.
“After the matter came to our notice, the CMO, Srinagar was directed to take action and as of now, we have sealed the Operation Theatre, apart from blocking the conduct of all the surgical procedures at the hospital,” Director, Health Services, Kashmir Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Rather said.
He said that apart from sealing, the CMO has also formed a panel to probe the matter and ascertain the facts of the allegations which have been leveled against the doctors of the hospital. He said that such cases, involving loss of human lives, are serious and that nobody will be allowed to take them for granted.
“We would have gone for the sealing of the hospital, but keeping in view the patients admitted there, we only ensured the sealing of the operation theatre, while as the concerned panel probing the matter will file its report within one week,” he said, adding if negligence is found, the necessary strict action against those found guilty will be taken.
Pertinent to mention here that the first case of alleged medical negligence was reported from the hospital on August 25 when a woman from the Theed Harwan area of Srinagar—who was supposed to give birth to a baby—died due to alleged medical negligence, however, the doctors at the hospital, as usual, tried to brush it off and said that they did everything possible to save her. The incident triggered manageable protests from the family members.
At that time, the authorities did not take any action. However, later, on September 9; another case of alleged medical negligence came to the fore from the same hospital, in which another woman, Shafiya from Naik Bagh, Nowgam, also died due to the alleged medical negligence. The aftermath, in the shape of protests, this time, was huge, prompting the authorities to take action.
The family members of the deceased woman, who was recently married, said that the doctors at SKIMS, Soura—after the patient was taken there as her condition deteriorated—told them that her brain was damaged due to excess anesthesia. They also said that the doctors at the Ramzana Hospital tried everything to get rid of the case—after there were complications—by insisting on taking the patient to SMHS or SKIMS.(Daily Excelsior)