Says principal a hindrance, taking unilateral decisions without COVID committee recommendation
Tasaduq Hussain
Srinagar : The faculty of Sher-e-Kashmir institute of medical sciences (SKIMS) medical college (MC) Srinagar has accused principal of providing misinformation to the government and the media for his personal benefits.
In a representation the faculty of SKIMS medical college Bemina has stated that the vicinity can cater the flow of non-COVID patients who are made to suffer in absence of follow up check-ups and termed the mixing of pregnant non-COVID patients with COVID positive patients unfortunate.
In the representation, a copy of which lies with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the faculty has highlighted the failure, misinformation and misunderstanding created by principal SKIMS medical college by projecting the wrong picture of the institution to the higher authorities and media for personal reasons and demanded the misinformation campaign to be investigated.
The faculty has said that due to sudden closure of all specialities patient care including post-operative and other services of every department have been stopped as per the guidelines.
“The patients who have to come for follow up check-ups are moving from pillar to post because they are not allowed to visit the hospital because the hospital has been designated as COVID-19.”
The representation reads that few days ago the principal took a unilateral decision to admit all COVID surgical emergencies in the hospital without going into the scientific demerits of such a policy.
“This is mainly COVID committee has been reduced to signing papers under pressure and threats,” it said.
“A Frank scientific decision is not allowed with the result some disastrous decisions are implement after 4 PM unilaterally. We are definitely desirous of conducting surgeries on COVID patients but the medical superintendent has already declared the theatre as unsafe.”
It furnished two points to back its surgeries idea saying that the, COVID positive patients needing surgeries should be shared amongst hospitals including SKIMS MC.
“This will ensure less Viral load. The scientific literature overwhelmingly supports this method and the theatres should be used to make them achieve a basic level of safety at least.”
The representation says that the hospital has been designated to cater the level 2 and 3 COVID patients only. “However this hospital is currently full of patients which can be managed at level 1 centers. This unnecessarily complicates the issue.
As the government tries to restore normalcy, it is important to understand that the consistent admission of level 1 cases is delaying restoration of SKIMS MC to its designated medical college function.”
The faculty has also stated that this is extremely stressful and distressing situation where a steadying hand is needed and the principal SKIMS MC is proving to be a hindrance in the development of scientific guidelines.
It states that the circumstances and propaganda created by principal has resulted into the whole faculty and staff especially the Gynae department being branded as non-performers.
The faculty of SKIMS MC further recommended that the hospital should gradually open and resume work in phased manner with separate entry and exit to cater COVID and non-COVID patients.
They have demanded the administration to take cognizance of the actual facts on ground and let this institution continue its routine and dedicated work in whichever way the health authorities deem fit—(KNO)