Social media onslaught: Hospital admins tasked to create media cells
Srinagar: In a bid to nip ‘rumors’ and ‘factually incorrect’ news regarding the patient care in hospitals and put forth a counter narrative, the Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar has directed all the Medical Superintendents in its associated hospitals to create media cells in order to respond ‘proactively’ under such circumstances and present ‘facts’ before the public.
In a circular issued by the Principal GMC on Friday it asked all the medical superintends to form the media cells to be headed by them. They have also been directed to create official facebook pages and twitter handles in order to respond promptly whenever needed.
“On the directions of Administrative department, all the Medical Superintendents of Associated Hospitals, GMC Srinagar are hereby asked to create one media cell to be headed by Medical Superintendents and shall incorporate members from the faculty and hospital administration. The media cell shall create one official facebook page and one twitter handle to be operated by concerned Medical Superintendent wherein the achievements, performance and work done shall be highlighted on day to day basis,” the circular said.
Further, it said that “…the media cell shall proactively respond to any media/ social media news or rumor whatsoever of immediate nature by presenting the facts before the public and also shall apprise the administrative department.”
Principal GMC Dr Samia Rashid told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that in accordance to the directions given by the government the step of creating media cells was taken. “The government has directed us that the media cells should be created in the hospitals in order to make the work done in the hospitals public and to respond with facts whenever needed,” she said.
Dr Samia did apparently nullify the decision of establishing media cells in the backdrop of the incident that took place at GB Panth Hospital, Sonwar, wherein an infant died due to the condition known as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
However, insiders told this reporter that the move surely is the outcome of the GB Panth Hospital.
“While a full-fledged campaign was launched to defame the doctors, they could not put forth their point of view. The move has come to counter such campaigns,” the insider said.
Pertinently, the incident had created hue and cry after many people including several journalists took to the social media and posted the picture of the infant, blaming, the doctors of ‘negligence.’
When asked whether any action will be taken against those who resort to posting picture of the infant and blaming doctors of ‘negligence’ without verifying the facts, Dr Samia said that the aspect will looked into once the report of the committee formed to inquire into the incident comes out.
“We see that too, let’s wait for the inquiry report and we will decide as per that,” she said.
Irfan Tramboo
