Will initiate an inquiry, says GMC Anantnag principal as protestors allege doctors' negligence in family member's death

Anantnag, Aug 08: Protests broke out inside the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag after a 90-year-old woman lost her life due to alleged negligence by the hospital staff.

The nonagenarian woman, as per family members, was removed from the oxygen support and moved down to the casualty ward where she breathed her last. Seeing this, the attendants with the woman-numbering at least twenty- started blaming hospital authorities for the death.

Then, a scuffle broke out between private security guards and the deceased's attendants, and soon the doctors from the hospital joined the confrontation, said the eyewitnesses.

As the situation started to become more violent, police intervened, calming down the situation.

While expressing her deep concern over the death, GMC Anantnag principal, Dr. Rukhsana Najeeb told Greater Kashmir that she won't allow any of her doctors to go on strike even as an inquiry committee will be formed to establish the facts.

"Strict action will be taken against those found guilty," she asserted.

Rukhsana further said that the woman idenfied as Hajira wife of Abdul Satar Bhat, resident of Larkipora Anantnag, aged around 90 was a chronic patient and that only 30% of her heart was working. "She was admitted three days ago," the principal said.

"We cannot prevent inevitable deaths," she said.

Commenting on the scuffle, she said that doctors are soft targets for people and that at GMC Anantnag, doctors are "overburdened".