DAK seeks safe work environment for doctors
Expressing serious concern over repeated attacks on medical staff, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today urged government to ensure safe work environment for doctors, nurses and other hospital staff.
Condemning the thrashing of a female doctor today at SDH Kangan by some miscreants while she was discharging her duties, President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement said that hospital authorities in Kashmir have failed to provide safe environment for healthcare providers.
“Unsafe working environment affects the performance of health workers and compromises the quality of care. The fear of violence saps doctors’ confidence to such an extent that they are often reluctant to take a decision when the patient’s life is at risk,” he said.
The DAK President said that the difference between life and death in certain conditions depends on the doctors’ ability to take decisions without the distraction of fear.
“The increased incidences against medical staff are because of faulty health care system. There are serious lapses in health care planning because of which patients suffer. Anger rises up against medical staff since relatives of patients end up doing all their work,” he said.
From cleaning, feeding, laundry to administering medications, attendants do everything for their patients.
“Also, shortages of medicines force doctors to ask patients to buy medicines from outside which makes doctors suspicious in the eyes of patients. Due to neglected primary healthcare system, patients end up going to tertiary care hospitals even for basic health needs overburdening these already burdened hospitals which are meant for advanced care and research,” he said.
DAK will hold a protest on Sunday July 09, 2017 at Press Enclave Lal Chowk Srinagar against the repeated attacks on medicos.
KV Correspondent
