Srinagar, Dec 19 (JKNS): In a heart-wrenching reminder of the fragile state of public healthcare, a family in north Kashmir’s Handwara was forced to push their ailing relative on a trolley along a busy road after being denied basic medical support at Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara.
According to the family, as per news agency JKNS, the patient already battling multiple health complications was rushed to GMC Handwara with hopes of urgent diagnosis and treatment. However, they were allegedly informed that the CT scan facility at the hospital was not functional. Adding to their distress, the attendants said no ambulance was made available to shift the patient elsewhere, with hospital staff reportedly stating that the vehicle had gone to attend another case.
Left with no assistance, guidance or alternative, the distraught family placed the patient on a trolley and slowly pushed him through the main market area for nearly a kilometre to reach a private diagnostic centre. The painful sight of the patient being wheeled through crowded streets, amid moving traffic and stunned onlookers, left many shocked and deeply disturbed.
Family members said, it was agonising to watch a seriously ill person being moved in such inhuman conditions while people stood helplessly by. Several bystanders recorded the scene, and the video later went viral on social media, triggering outrage and sharp criticism over the preparedness and infrastructure of one of the region’s major healthcare institutions.
Following the incident, Administrative Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, constituted an inquiry committee to examine the matter. The committee has been directed to submit its report by 11 am on December 20.
Officials said the inquiry committee comprises Prof (Dr) Abdul Qayoom Lone, HOD Anesthesia; Prof (Dr) Javaid Ahmad Bhat, HOD Orthopedics; and Prof (Dr) Rafiq Ahmad Tagoo, HOD Dentistry. The panel will review hospital procedures, equipment functionality and patient transport arrangements.
According to officials, the committee will assess the reasons behind the unavailability of the CT scan facility and ambulance services and will recommend corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with people questioning how a government medical college can function without essential diagnostic facilities and emergency transport, forcing families to endure humiliation and suffering at a time of medical crisis.
For many, the disturbing scene was not just an isolated episode but a stark symbol of systemic neglect where patients and their families are left to fend for themselves at institutions meant to provide care, dignity and relief. (JKNS)