Criticizing the top management of the premier health care institution, SKIMS, opposition National Conference (NC) Monday said that the Director of the institution has turned into a political liaison and PR cell for the CM’s Grievance Cell In-charge and functionaries of the ruling dispensation.

“There is unprecedented state of administrative chaos and mismanagement at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura,” NC said in a statement issued here.

Lashing out at the State Government and Director SKIMS for the rapidly deteriorating patient care at the Valley’s premiere tertiary care health institute, the NC spokesman said that hundreds of patients with serious ailments were suffering miserably due to the administration’s arrogance and incompetence in dispensing their basic duties.

“The Director SKIMS has turned the office of the Director into a political liaison and PR cell for the CM’s Grievance Cell In-charge and functionaries of the ruling dispensation,” the statement added.

“The administration at SKIMS seems to be either completely inept or unquestionably arrogant by failing to ensure the patients receive the kind of medical care they deserve. In a number of cases patients with severe ailments, including young children, women and elderly, have been waiting for months altogether for critical procedures, the delay in which could result in potentially life threatening consequences. It seems to have become the norm that the quality of patient care is directly defined by the recommendations by certain PDP leaders. Those patients who are not politically connected to the ruling dispensation are not only mistreated but also left at the mercy of God”, the NC spokesperson said in the statement.

The spokesperson also highlighted recent disturbing media reports wherein expired drugs were administered to patients at SKIMS. Earlier it was reported that the administration failed to take note of the expired Hepatitis C drugs resulting in an enormous wastage at the expense of the state exchequer.

The NC spokesperson castigated the Chief Minister’s Office for undue and improper direct interference into even the technical aspects of the Institute’s functioning and said it doesn’t behoove the Chief Minister to turn such a vital health institute into political and familial subsidiary.

“Then there is also the matter of the gross suppression of merit at the hands of certain individuals of the Chief Minister’s family who were incidentally and illegitimately, in violation of all forms of scrutiny, objectivity and propriety, involved in the selection process of certain top posts in the institution. It has also come to fore that the constitution and regulations of SKIMS are being violated by taking direct orders from the now extra-constitutional CM’s Grievance Cell”, the NC spokesperson added.

“The Chief Minister seems to have become a vestigial entity in the scheme of the Institute’s functioning as it was the CM’s brother who was taking all important policy and administrative decisions instead of the Chief Minister who is the Chairperson for the Governing Board. While the Chief Minister might have accepted this aberration and has chosen to remain silent, the stakes for the people of the State are far too important to be ignored. If the Chief Minister has unofficially surrendered her powers to her brother, she should do the people a favor and officially disengage from such constitutional duties and responsibilities so that people are not misled”, the NC spokesperson further said.

The spokesperson said the Government should take immediate measures to address these issues that are plaguing the premiere health institute.

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