If the accounts of the doctors in various hospitals of Srinagar are anything to go by, timely first aid, better transportation, medication and referral for advanced treatment could have saved the lives of many of those people who died of injuries, due to bullet wounds and beating by armed forces. A local civil society group - comprising doctors, academics, journalists, etc. - has been undertaking visits to various hospitals in Srinagar during the last few days. A report circulated by the group comes up with chilling findings, pointing to, inter alia, pressing need to support those injured persons receiving medical treatment in various hospitals in terms of sponsoring their expensive medication and, in certain cases, even referral to specialist hospitals outside the State. According to the report, some persons have died because of lack of timely specialist treatment despite the best efforts by the medical staff of the local hospitals. It also says that most of those who are in the hospitals come from very low-income families, finding it hard to fund expensive medication. As such, it is high time that people come together and donate wholeheartedly to a fund that can be used to support expensive medication, and even referral, for these people. Looking at the situation in the hospitals and the requirements of the injured people, there is an urgent need for humanitarian agencies in Kashmir to pool in their efforts and resources as well to reach out to the affected people at the earliest with life saving initiatives. The appreciable efforts of local aid agencies and Mohalla Committees in providing timely support to the injured, their attendants, etc. in the Valley’s hospitals have been appreciable too. However, there is a dire need for coordinating relief efforts of various humanitarian agencies – both local and non local - in Kashmir to ensure that people do not suffer - and die - for reasons that could be avoided. A coordination mechanism with the Health Department – which remains at the frontline of providing life saving support - would be ideal. An information sharing mechanism that is response-oriented is also highly desired. Humanitarian agencies – both local and non-local – have been pleading that their lack of initiative is also because of a volatile street situation and not-so-conducive security environment. Looking at the unmet needs, there is a strong case for the active humanitarian agencies in Kashmir right now to meet and plead a case before government authorities for Special Curfew Passes and development of systems and mechanisms for emergency response under these pressing circumstances. It is true that logistics under the current circumstances are not easy. People are being targeted not only by paramilitary and police forces, but, sometimes, by street protesters too. A joint appeal by all humanitarian agencies and even development of a special logo for use on vehicles and personnel for safe and unhindered access, to all the stakeholders may not be a bad idea. In the current situation, there are some pressing needs which the humanitarian agencies in Kashmir could consider addressing, and which are practically possible. For instance, a special fund for the medication needs of the injured, jointly funded by individuals and humanitarian agencies, which could remain at the disposal of hospital authorities for use on need-basis, could be useful. Similarly, a telephone-based Helpline could be established by aid agencies and publicised through media which could be accessed by people for getting life saving medicines outside hospital systems. Over the last few weeks it has been observed that a lack of access to immediate medical care, especially outside Srinagar, for those receiving gunshots, has resulted in deaths, otherwise avoidable. Injuries have been exasperated as a result of bad handling of the injured by those who rescue them. An awareness program through local cable TV channels and/or FM Radio on how to handle casualties could be very useful too.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST