Srinagar, Feb 06: Two doctors were suspended and banned from private practices on Thursday for allegedly removing a patient’s uterus instead of performing an ENT surgery at Hakeem Sonaullah Hospital, a private hospital in Sopore town in Jammu and Kashmir.
The incident took place at the Hakeem Sonuallah Hospital on February 03 when the female patient was scheduled for ear surgery but underwent a hysterectomy.
The incident sparked widespread outrage from different quarters and raised questions on the safety of patients in private hospitals. However, the family of the patient who resides in Baramulla has maintained silence over the huge medical error.
Dr Anjum Nazir, Consultant Gynaecologist, SDH Sopore and Dr Tariq Ahmad Dar, Medical Officer, (Diploma in Anesthesia), DH Bandipora have been suspended.
“Pending enquiry into the incident that occurred on 03.02.2025 at Hakeem Sonaullah Hospital, Sopore and to ensure a fair and impartial investigation while maintaining the integrity of the healthcare system the two doctors are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect,” the H&ME said in an order.
Both doctors have been attached to the Directorate of Health Services in Jammu until further notice and are banned from any private medical practice across Jammu and Kashmir.
Additionally, the authorities have also sealed the Operation Theatre of the private hospitals and it has been stated that the same would remain sealed till the conclusion of enquiry.
Block Medical Officer, Sopore, Dr. Zulfiqar Nabi told Rising Kashmir that the preliminary investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, the health department has also constituted a district-level committee of doctors to investigate the matter further.
“The committee would comprise a gynaecologist, anaesthetist and two medical officers. They will investigate thoroughly and also talk to the patient’s family. They will come up with all the facts and submit a detailed report in two days,” he said.
Chief Medical Officer, Baramulla, Dr. Mastoora and concerned officers and officials of Directorate of Health Services Kashmir did not respond to the repeated phone calls and text messages from this newspaper for the past two days.
Doctors and civil society have expressed shock over what they describe as a grave case of medical negligence, raising serious concerns about the hospital’s surgical protocols.
They have urged the health department to enforce stricter oversight of private hospitals as incidents of severe medical malpractice continue to emerge.
“The health department should conduct inspections of the private as well as public hospitals to check whether patients get the expected treatment or not,” said Junaid Ahmad, a civil society member from Sopore.
He said the health department wakes up only when there is medical negligence and they do not do anything to thwart such incidents in the hospitals.
