Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today condemned in strong words thrashing of an on-duty doctor by a cop at SMHS hospital.

Expressing outrage, President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement said that this act of hooliganism against medical staff while discharging his professional duties is unacceptable.

Pertinently, on Tuesday evening, a postgraduate student was beaten mercilessly by a policeman whose mother was admitted in Medical intensive Care Unit (MICU) of SMHS hospital. The doctor was attacked when he was attending critically-ill patients in MICU including the cop’s mother.

“It is shocking to see doctors being beaten while trying to save emergency patients. Doctors put in their blood and sweat to save lives in extremely difficult conditions and instead of appreciation get thrashing,” the medico body said.

“These episodes have become a routine and it is difficult for doctors to work in such hostile conditions. This mad pattern of atrocities against medical staff has generated fear and anxiety among health care workers,” it added.

The DAK President said that Medical personnel cannot deliver their services efficiently because of insecurity which adversely affects patient care.

“This atrocious attitude towards doctors has forced many to migrate and this is the main reason of brain drain. There is complete mismanagement in SMHS hospital and it has turned into a battlefield where every day staff gets thrashed,” he added.

He said that hospital authorities have failed to ensure safety and security of doctors and staff.

“There are no facilities neither for doctors nor patients and there is no treatment-like atmosphere in the hospital. There are serious lapses in healthcare planning and the root cause lies in the attitude of policy makers but in the process doctors become the victims,” he added.

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