Doctors: Saviours or Enslavers?

A reflection on trust, neglect, and accountability

Critical healthcare and emergency services at SMHS Hospital came to a strange halt when doctors went on strike, leaving patients in complete distress. Tensions escalated after an attendant caretaker slapped a physician following the death of his patient, with the family accusing the hospital of complete medical negligence. The incident sparked outrage, raising concerns over patient care and staff safety amid the ongoing protest. Videos showing laughing doctors and distressed patients flooded social media. While some scored the slap “10 out of 10”, others strongly condemned it.
Some glimpses of patient care in our hospitals:
Case 1: My friend, the late Abrar Riyaz
Back in 2019, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a promising 24-year-old law student from Kashmir regrettably passed away at CD Hospital, Srinagar, which was ill-equipped to treat the major trauma injuries he suffered in an accident. Abrar, who was pursuing BA-LLB at the Central University of Kashmir, was grievously injured on his way home from SKIMS after taking his father for a medical appointment. A heavy-load tipper collided with their car on the Pampore highway.
Tragically, Abrar died at the Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital, after being declared COVID-19 positive a day earlier at SMHS Hospital, where he had been on complete life support and was being treated for major brain injuries and grave external wounds. He needed to be kept on a ventilator and monitored under a specialised team of surgeons, particularly neurosurgeons. His family and friends were hopeful as he showed signs of improvement at SMHS.
However, the declaration of a positive COVID-19 result changed everything. Despite being a high-priority trauma patient, he was abruptly labelled untouchable under protocol. Doctors told the family that since SMHS didn’t treat COVID-19 patients, they had to shift him to a COVID-designated hospital (CD Hospital)—a place ill-equipped to manage his condition.
His family pleaded with the doctors to shift him instead to SKIMS, Soura, which had both a COVID-19 designation and better neurosurgical care. But their pleas were in vain. He was transferred to CD Hospital, where he died.
How should one reckon with this? Was it doctors’ mismanagement, abuse of power, mistreatment, or a perversion of medical protocol? A white-collar murder or simply a tragic misjudgement? How does one calculate this?
Case 2: My dear late father
My father, the head of our cherishing and growing family, had undergone successful brain tumour surgery in 2006 by Dr Afzan Wani and Dr Altaf Kirmani. But when symptoms reappeared in September 2015, we took him to SKIMS, where he was admitted to Ward 9-B, the critical care neuro centre. He underwent a shunt surgery to drain fluid from his brain to his intestines.
However, during the night, his condition worsened drastically. Sadly, no senior doctor was available to attend to him. The available ones—just recent pass-outs—were helpless. As precious time passed, we were left at the mercy of the Almighty. My father slipped into a coma and passed away. It was an untimely, heartbreaking loss that left our family shattered.
How should one judge the doctors here? Their absence, their mismanagement, their white-collar ego?
Case 3: My dear late mother
My mother had been suffering from fatty liver. In 2021, we began consultations with a doctor who was both the Head of Gastroenterology at the Super Speciality Critical Care Hospital, Shireen Bagh, Srinagar, and a widely sought-after private practitioner in District Shopian.
She was treated for fatty liver with Hepatitis C for over three years. Eventually, in late 2023, she was diagnosed with liver cancer and passed away almost immediately. It was shocking to discover that a well-reputed doctor had misjudged what turned out to be a multi-organ cancer, mistaking it for a minor liver issue needing just a three-month course.
At the Super Speciality Hospital, once we received the “incurable” verdict, his senior, Dr Showkat Kadla, responded only with an apology for his junior’s negligence. In my eyes, this meant shattered lives, shattered hearts, and a clear illustration of how little value a life may hold in the eyes of certain doctors. It was nothing short of astonishing.
How a doctor should be
This has been a noble profession for centuries, and must continue to be treated as such. The transition from Hakeem to Doctor should reflect the essence of Hikmat—meaning wisdom, knowledge, or sagacity. In Islamic contexts, it refers to piety, understanding God’s commands, and spiritual nourishment. A doctor, then, should be seen as a connection between God and humanity—a position deserving the utmost respect.
A doctor should be defined by professionalism, effective communication, humility, emotional intelligence, strong ethics, and a passion for their profession. An individual, broken and desperate, kneels before a doctor, setting aside everything else and placing their trust entirely in their hands. Such a sacred bond and trust must be preserved and honoured.
I urge every individual to continue respecting and trusting doctors for their effort, their intent, and their profession. But equally, I urge the medical community to introspect and protect the sanctity of this noble calling.
The writer works in the Higher Education Department, J&K

Idrees Dalal
id************@***il.com