Health Services Kashmir has issued directions for ‘streamlining’ the management of cardiac emergencies across the Health facilities in Kashmir stressing that the life saving interventions should be made within the golden hour.
After the death of Greater Kashmir senior editor Muddasir Ali following a “heart attack” and his family alleging delay in providing medical aid at Sub District Hospital (SDH) Chrar-e-Sharif, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir has issued a slew of directions to the administrators across the 10 districts here. The circular prepared earlier last week and issued on Tuesday calls for creating uniformity in the management of cardiac emergencies during the ‘Golden Hour’.
Golden Hour is an hour following a medical emergency or a trauma during which chances of survival are the maximum. The delay beyond this period, in providing treatment or emergency intervention, could increase chances of death or disability. Jehangir Ali, the brother of Muddasir Ali, who had taken him to hospital within minutes of complaining of chest pain had raised the issue of “criminal delay” on part of the hospital staff present at the hospital.
“It took us over 15 minutes after reaching the hospital to get an ECG done on my brother,” he said. Healthcare administrators have been directed to ensure that every cardiac emergency is discussed with the concerned physician and notified in the Save Heart Group “within the Golden Hour”. Save Heart is a WhatsApp group that was started two years ago to provide instant response by qualified cardiologists for better management of cardiac emergencies in the peripheral hospitals.
It has also been stressed that before a patient is referred, the receiving institution be informed in advance and that all such cases are recorded. Muddasir’s family had alleged that the doctor on duty at SDH Chrar-e-Sharif instead of giving Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and stabilising him had chosen to refer him to Srinagar. He died during the transit.
Every district and sub-district hospital has been directed to update the checklist of supplies and consumables regularly and submit “work done” to the higher officials. A team headed by Deputy Director Health Services Kashmir (Schemes) has also been constituted to ensure compliance to these directions and take action against non-compliance in addressing the cardiac emergencies as sensitive and time-bound.