Ganderbal , June 14: A family has alleged medical negligence at District Hospital Ganderbal, claiming that the staff failed to provide timely care to a 21-year-old pregnant woman from Dudarhama and referred her to SKIMS Soura without proper briefing or medical handover. The incident, which came to light through a viral video on social media, has sparked public outrage and prompted the hospital administration to launch an internal inquiry.
According to the family, the woman—identified as Arizoo—was left unattended for hours in the labour room before being abruptly referred to SKIMS late at night. They claim that she was not accompanied by a senior doctor, and that only medical interns were sent with her during the transfer, raising concerns about the seriousness of the hospital’s response.
“She was left like a package, with no clear information given to us about her condition,” a family member said in the viral video, demanding a thorough investigation and accountability.
Speaking to the media, Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Ganderbal, Dr. Nighat, acknowledged that the situation was unfortunate but denied allegations of negligence. “Sometimes when patients are referred in the final stages, it causes agitation among families. However, there was no fault on the part of the lady doctor on duty. The patient was in the early stages, and we follow a standard process of trial before referral,” she said.
Dr. Nighat clarified that the case involved obstructed labour, a condition where the baby’s head gets stuck during delivery. “For the safety of both the mother and child, referral was necessary. If this had happened during the day, perhaps emotions would have been calmer. But the decision to refer was in the best interest of the patient,” she stated.
She also rebutted claims about lack of senior doctors during the night. “Gynecologists are available around the clock in our hospital. We are still verifying if the patient was accompanied only by interns,” she added.
She further mentioned that a significant number of patients are currently admitted in the gynecology ward.
She stated that SDH Kangan only performs day surgeries, while night cases and referrals are managed by District Hospital Ganderbal. She added that the work register clearly reflects the number of referrals made from SDH Kangan to DH Ganderbal.
She said that an internal inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the sequence of events. “We are looking into all aspects, including whether proper referral protocols were followed and if a senior doctor was involved during the transfer. If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken,” the official said.
