A local NGO has formally registered a complaint with the Ministry for Health Government of India alleging the Jammu and Kashmir’s premier hospital SKIMS (Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science) Soura has been proving a nuisance more than an asset for the patients and attendants in the State.Accusing the incumbent Director SKIMS of turning the hospital into a commercial centre, the NGO ‘Common Man’ has sought strict action against the management of the hospital and has said that in the name of patient care the hospital authorities are looting the attendants on the one or the other pretext.The local NGO in its complaint has raised many issues and has said that the Director SKIMS has issued an order by which a visitor who visits the hospital after 6 in the evening is forced to pay Rs 100 for his or her 15 minutes visit and it has become a burden on the poor man. The Director SKIMS has also increased the visitors fee from Rs 5 to Rs. 20 in the Old SKIMS which is also a burden on a poor man and furthermore the behavior of the SKIMS Administration is very rude and harsh towards patients as well as attendants.
The complainant has maintained that dogs are allowed to rest in the parks but attendants are dragged out from there and forced to spend time on roads while the security staff of the hospital frequently manhandles the attendants without any justification. “The emergency unit of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science, Soura doesn’t have sufficient wheel chairs and trolleys to carry critical patients while The emergency patient is admitted in the corridor besides latrines which is very unhygienic and unethical,” the complaint reads adding that a complaint to the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell vide number 55325 was also lodged, however, the CM Grievance staff did not take cognizance of the public interest matter. (CNS)