Infant dies in Handwara hospital

Parents allege doctor's negligence, MS refutes charges

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 12-May-2016

An infant baby has died allegedly due to negligence of the doctor in District Hospital Handwara in Kupwara district, compelling the distraught parents to complain to the police. Bashir Ahmad Peer, uncle of the infant, told KNS that they took the female baby to the hospital for treatment.“The baby was suffering from influenza and chest infection. We took him to a doctor, who asked us to bring the baby to his private clinic that he is running in the town,” Peer claimed.“But we asked the doctor why would he not treat the baby in the hospital. During the argument, the baby died,” he said, adding that they went to the police to register a case against the doctor and the hospital administration “for killing our baby”.

Angered with the attitude of the doctor, he said that the parents and the other attendants protested against the hospital administration for “playing with the lives of the patients”.“While the protests were ongoing, the owner of the clinic, who is the brother of the doctor, came and beat the father of the infant,” he claimed.SP Handwara Ghulam Geelani told KNS that the police has received complaints from the parents of the infant and the hospital authorities as well.“We have taken cognizance into the matter and have started investigating,” Geelani said.However, Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Abdul Rouf told KNS that the infant was “almost dead” when her parents brought her to the hospital.“When the doctor concerned checked the baby, he declared him brought dead. There was no negligence on our part,” Dr Rouf said. (KNS)