Srinagar: The patients, who are not able to go to government hospitals fearing that they may catch the coronavirus, are allegedly denied timely treatment by doctors at the private clinics.
All the major hospitals in Srinagar have been designated as the Covid-19 specific hospitals and the patient rush is on the private hospitals that are operational across the Valley.
Huge number of pregnant women, patients with chronic liver disease, Kidney issues, hypertension and diabetes are facing difficulties to get appointment in the private hospitals and the private clinics.
Hameeda, a patient, who was diagnosed with liver issue, was advised by one of his relatives to consult a gastroenterologist Dr Showkat Zargar. However, since past two days, all the efforts to get an appointment failed.
One of the relatives of Hameeda, said that despite repeated attempts, Dr Showkat didn’t respond to the phone calls and instead replied to a watsapp message only to say that there is another number where “patient is supposed to get the appointment.”
And when call was made on the second number, a female voice came saying, “call tomorrow, Dr Sahab is busy today. And when call was made tomorrow again, there was again the same reply that Dr Sahab is busy.”
“These doctors are looting the patients in the name of quality treatment. But patients with complications, who are not able to go to government hospitals fearing that they may catch the virus, are denied treatment,” allege Adil Ahmed, Hameeda’s son.
When News agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) try to contact Dr Showkat Zargar his phone was switched off. But his comments will be updated once he will be available.
Hameeda is not the only patient, but there are scores like her, who have been facing the same fate.
Irshada, another woman, with kidney ailment, wanted an appointment with Dr Bilal Khan. Despite repeated attempts, she couldn’t get it. “It was after the intervention of a relative who knows Dr Bilal closely, I got the appointment,” she said.
However Dr Bilal said that there are clear cut directions from the government to treat lees patients in the current covid situation. “Yes patient’s might be facing problems to get an appointment given the fact that I treat only 15 to 20 patients daily here in the Shifa hospital,” he told KINS.
Many patients rued that at the private clinics, doctors who are not authorized for private practice, are looting people in the name of quality medicine. At many private hospitals, there is brazen violation of Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing is just for the namesake.(KINS)