Srinagar, April 04 (KNO) : Calling highway as lifeline for Kashmir, the only road connecting rural network of hospitals with tertiary care hospitals, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Thursday demanded exclusion of medical fraternity and patients from such restrictions.
“The government order to close national highway for civilian movement on Wednesdays and Sundays is invariably going to jeopardize the patient care and will increase morbidity and mortality in patients,” president of DAK, Dr Suhail Naik said in a statement issued to KNO.
Dr Suhail added that it will be difficult for referred patient to reach to tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar hospitals i.e SMHS or SKIMS, Soura from Districts surrounding Srinagar.
General Secretary DAK Dr Owais H Dar said highway is not only for civilian movement but a life line connecting different hospitals of Kashmir. “How can a sick patient from Banihal reach to Medical College Anantnag while such restrictions will be in place? We appeal administration to exclude medical fraternity and patients from such restrictions,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Doctors Coordination Committee JKDCC convener, Dr Mohamed Yousuf Tak has also appealed government to provide full time accommodation to medical employees inside hospital premises.
“It is very hard and difficult for our employees to reach and attend their duties while such restrictions will be imposed on national highway. Majority of our rural health care hospitals don’t have accommodation and is taking heavy brunt on employees,” Tak said. We appeal government to accommodate health employees with respects to their dignity, including their privacy, confidentiality, comfort and autonomy, he added.(KNO)