SMHS death rate within normal range: MS

Srinagar, Dec 28: The administration of the SMHS Hospital Wednesday sought to defend the death rate at the tertiary care hospital, claiming it was well "within the normal range".

The Medical Superintendent's claim has come days after this newspaper reported official figures sought via RTI, regarding the alarmingly high death rate at the hospital.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, MS SMHS hospital Dr Muzafar Ahmad Zargar said that the Government SMHS Hospital is one of the largest tertiary care hospitals of the valley and witnesses on an average 98000 patients per month.

"Hospital administration puts its all efforts to ensure optimum health care services to the patients attending the Hospital on OPD as well as IPD basis.

Referring to the official statistics with regard to the deaths reported this year till November 2023, he said that out of 3110 reported in the SMHS hospital Srinagar were 3110 as reported in this newspaper.

"But out of 3110 deaths reported in 2023 till November 30, 463 were declared brought dead while 1228 deaths included those reported in hospital casualty," Dr Muzafar Ahmad Zargar said.

Going by the official statistics produced by the hospital administration, around 4520 deaths have been reported in the government SMHS hospital in three years including 1093 deaths in 2021, 1322 deaths in 2022 and 1419 in 2023 till November 30.

The MS SMHS hospital said that 3176 deaths reported in 2022 in the hospital included 448 brought dead and 1406 deaths were reported in hospital casualty.

"Similarly, 2068 deaths were reported in the hospital during 2021 including 123 brought dead and 852 deaths were reported in hospital casualty," Dr Zargar said.

He said that the deaths include the number of dead as well as deaths that occurred in casualty within hours.

"These figures are required to be deducted from the total deaths to ascertain actual figures. So, as far as IPD figures are concerned the percentage of death rate is within the normal range and is not alarming," Dr Muzafar Ahmad Zargar told Greater Kashmir.

He said that there are three categories of deaths in which the first category involves those individuals who are brought to hospital already deceased and they are declared as brought dead.

"No treatment is given to them but they are simply brought in and declared as brought dead," he said.

The MS SMHS hospital said the second category includes the cases related to road traffic incidents, poisoning, falls, or gunshot injuries. "These cases are usually critical, and individuals succumb to their injuries in the casualty ward. They often arrive during the golden hour in critical conditions and unfortunately pass away here at the hospital," Dr Muzafar Ahmad Zargar said.

He said the third category includes patients who are admitted to the hospital's In-Patient Department (IPD) for more than 48 hours and pass away during the course of treatment.