Srinagar, April 06: Complaints have poured in from Srinagar’s major tertiary care hospitals, including SKIMS Soura and SMHS Hospital, over the persistent absence of senior doctors in emergency wards—raising serious concerns about the quality and timeliness of patient care.
Syed Adil, a resident of Ganderbal, shared a distressing experience he had two days ago when he brought his pregnant wife to the SKIMS Maternity Hospital. “Only junior doctors were present to attend to critical patients. I was shocked and disappointed,” he said.
Patients and their attendants allege that senior consultants are routinely absent from emergency departments, resulting in treatment delays, inadequate medical attention and in some cases, patients leaving hospitals without being properly assessed.
“There is a consistent absence of senior doctors, particularly in critical areas such as the emergency ward of SMHS Hospital,” one patient said, warning that such negligence could endanger lives.
Bashir Ahmad, a patient from Baramulla, echoed similar concerns. “Senior doctors should be available, at the very least, in emergency and intensive care units so that patients do not suffer. We appeal to the authorities to prioritise this issue and ensure a proper duty roster is enforced,” he said.
Junior doctors at SMHS Hospital claim they are overburdened, as senior doctors frequently skip night duties, often delegating entire shifts to junior staff. This, they argue, has a detrimental impact on patient care. “Patients see us only when there is an emergency. Senior doctors rarely show up except during their special rounds,” said a female medical student. “Many prefer to spend time in their private chambers or leave early to attend to private practice.”
Attendants have also expressed concern over alleged unethical practices, questioning the dedication of some senior staff to public healthcare. Even some nurses, they claim, avoid their responsibilities, leaving junior staff to manage the workload. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat Public Services and Outreach Office has formally acknowledged the growing concerns, having received several official representations about the unavailability of senior consultants and doctors in emergency wards.
“This office has received multiple urgent representations highlighting the consistent absence of Consultants/Senior Doctors in the emergency wards of major tertiary care hospitals, especially SMHS and SKIMS, Soura,” read an official communication addressed to the Health and Medical Education Department.
The letter stressed that these hospitals are lifelines for critically ill patients, and the absence of experienced personnel gravely compromises the delivery of emergency medical services. “In light of the serious implications for patient safety and the urgency of the matter, I am directed to request the Secretary to the Government, Health and Medical Education Department, to ensure prompt resolution of the issue. Details of the action taken may kindly be shared with this office,” the letter concluded.
