Mubashir Iqbal Kitaba & Amir Reyaz Sheikh

Abrar Reyaz, a young and dynamic friend of ours was seriously injured a few days ago while travelling in a car along with his father and uncle. The three were near Pampore when their car collided with a tipper. Abrar’s uncle died on way to hospital, his father is still battling for life, and Abrar left for the heavenly abode yesterday (June 30). Abrar’s death has created a void among his friends and family members. His loss will haunt us through our entire life as he was too young to die. His death makes even those eyes moist who did not know him personally.
When Abrar was injured he was taken to SMHS hospital for treatment as he has grave head injuries. Such injuries need neurologists and critical care specialists. A day later, however, Abrar was declared Covid positive and in sheer negligence and foolishness on the part of those who were treating our friend, they shifted him to the Chest Diseases hospital, which is meant for patients of tuberculoses. The first priority for doctors of SMHS at that time should have been to treat his head injuries, which SMHS is well equipped for, but they out of foolishness shifted him to CD hospital just because it was meant for Covid patients. That foolishness became the cause of his death.
Medical profession is the noblest of all as the most precious of assets is human life. Doctors and hospitals are expected to provide medical treatment with all their knowledge, experience, skill and facilities at their command. They are duty bound to save the life of the patient. Life and death is in the hands of Allah but that doesn’t mean a doctor can let a patient die due to recklessness. The doctor should always bear in mind that the patient’s life has been entrusted in his care. It is expected that a doctor obtain consent from the patient’s attendants before moving him to another hospital. The failure of a doctor or hospital to discharge this obligation is essentially a tortuous liability. A tort is a civil wrong that attracts judicial intervention.
When Abrar was declared Covid positive, his friends and family members pleaded before the medical staff to not shift him to CD hospital. Even a layman with common sense could see that Abrar at that time needed a neurosurgeon and not a pulmonologist.
Abrar was our friend from a very long time. He was a prolific writer and budding intellectual. He wrote for Kashmir Reader, Kashmir Life and online publications. Even though young, he was very much concerned about the happenings in Kashmir and mostly wrote on legal issues as he was a brilliant student at the Law department of Central University of Kashmir. He had deep knowledge and understanding of law-related matters and issues. He participated in two international moot court conferences, one held in Germany and another in Nurembeg. Abrar was very much loved by his friends and family members. His death has shattered his family. We pray to Almighty Allah to grant our dear friend the highest place in paradise and give strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss. We also appeal to the higher authorities to investigate the negligence on part of the doctors and administration at SMHS, who, if found guilty, should be dismissed from service so that precious human lives can be saved.

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