In a strange development in the case of a newborn’s death in Kupwara, a medical officer working at primary health center (PHC) Kalaroos has been terminated on the basis of a “questionable” inquiry report. The committee members have washed their hands off the report stating “no inquiry was conducted at all”.
On Wednesday, district development commissioner (DDC),Kupwara, AnshulGarg, issued orders of termination of Dr Bilal Ahmed, medicalofficer under National Health Mission (NHM), posted at KalaroosKupwara “asrecommended by the chief medical officer (CMO) Kupwara on 17 April 2018 on thebasis of gross negligence and failure to deliver professional services towardspatient care as authenticated by the enquiry committee”.
The termination order quoting CMO Kupwara and enquiry reportstates, “The doctor has failed to uphold moral, ethical and professionalstandards in the service delivery which led to the death of the newborn baby”.However, the authenticity of the report submitted by the two member committeehas come under cloud with its members distancing themselves from the “findings ofthe report”.
As per a communication signed by the two members andsubmitted to CMO on 16 April 2019, the report was “only intended to pacifypublic anger”.
“The inquiry committee as such will not be having anyrelation to it and strongly recommends a systematic in-depth inquiry that isunbiased,” the communication signed by the members states.
One of the committee members, Dr Farooq Ahmed Khan, whilespeaking to Greater Kashmir said, “The CMO was very well aware of the fact thatwe did not carry out any inquiry into the matter and the document was producedto quell anger surrounding the incident.”
He expressed shock over the development that the report hasbeen submitted to the DDC Kupwara for action and the doctor has been terminatedon its basis.
“It is pathetic how the CMO chose to hide the facts. We haveconfessed before the public and everyone that no inquiry was conducted by us,”he said.
The doctor said the patient, Fatima Begum, who had beenreferred from PHC Kalaroos to sub-district Kupwara was admitted at Kupwara whenthe report was “prepared in CMO office”.
Begum had a miscarriage in a taxi while travelling fromKalaroos to Kupwara allegedly after being denied an ambulance by the doctor whonow stands terminated.
DDC Kupwara, AnshulGarg said that action against the doctorwas taken on the basis of the report submitted by the CMO Kupwara. He deniedhaving seen the “retraction statement” of the committee members.
“I am not aware of any such document,” he said.
Director health services Kashmir, DrKunzes Dolma said thatshe had seen “this new contradictory document” on the social media. “If the CMO sends this document to me, I willdefinitely ask why this situation has arisen,” she said.
She added the development was a “unique one” and theveracity of facts was being ascertained. “We have never had a situation wherethe committee and the administrator concerned have acted in such irresponsibleway,” she said.
CMO Kupwara, DrPrehlad Singh did not respond to multiplecalls and texts from Greater Kashmir.