Protests rocked Kashmir’s lone tertiary care hospital Lal Ded on Wednesday morning following intra-uterine death of a baby amid ongoing protest by the resident doctors.
Scores of attendants assembled in front of the administrative block of Lal Ded Hospital on Wednesday and called for restoration of services.
The protestors alleged that “many” babies had died at the hospital due to unavailability of doctors.
“Why were we referred to this hospital if there are no doctors available here? They (administration) should put up a lock on its gates,” an attendant of a patient said.
Most of the patients said they had come on their own or were referred from far off places to this hospital for specialized treatment.
Many patients said even after being admitted at the hospital for a couple of days, they were asked to go back. “Is this our fault that doctors are on strike?” an attendant said.
Demanding intervention of the governor and other officials, the protesters demanded that the doctors be made available at the earliest.
Resident doctors at all Government Medical College Hospitals, including Lal Ded, are on indefinite strike since 03 July. At least 30 doctors are posted at this maternity hospital. All of them were unavailable, forcing closure of antenatal services, routine investigations and patient services.
Medical superintendent LD Hospital, Dr Shabir Siddiq said that the baby who had died was a case of intra-uterine death. “The lady (mother of the baby) was referred to us in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. She was yet to complete her term and the baby had died,” he said.
Dr Siddiq said all peripheral hospitals had been intimated about the on-going strike of doctors and were directed to refer only high-risk patients.
