Srinagar, Feb 12: Eight-year old Tawheed of Kawdara suffers from measles but couldn’t get medical help due to strict curfew in Srinagar. He was forced to stay at home for the past 4 days.
His mother said, “I was not able to get medical assistance for my son who was suffering due to the disease. When his condition deteriorated, we decided to shift him to SMHS Hospital. But the hospital authorities did not provide us ambulance to ferry him safely. Finally my brother arranged some vehicle but police didn’t allow us to cross the Kawdara Chowk and Aali Kadal. We pleaded before them for half an hour then only they allowed us.”
Strict curfew for the past 4 days has crippled the Valley. Medical shops have been shut and people have no access to medical care and ambulances.
People across Kashmir faced a tough time ferrying critical patients for treatment to the prime hospitals. In some hospitals, discharged patients and attendants are held up for want of transport.
While the Divisional Administration started helpline for critical patients and emergency arrangements for people, patients complained about non-availability of ambulances at most of the hospitals especially the Associated Hospitals of Government Medical College Srinagar.
Hidden from the political debate, valley hospitals explain the real pain and suffering people are facing in Kashmir.
Patients and their attendants wait outside the casualty ward of LD Hospital and SMHS Hospital, wanting to go home.
Only emergency cases are getting ambulances, that too with the help of local non-governmental organizations like Help Poor Voluntary Trust, Help Foundation and J&K Yateem Trust.
Muhammad Yousuf of Batwani Ganderbal has been desperately trying to shift her ailing mother to SMHS Hospital for cardiac checkup but faced many problems to arrange ambulance. “After hours of hardship an ambulance driver agreed to ferry my mother but he charged us Rs 900 from Batwani to SMHS Hospital and back home,” he said.
"I have been trying to get medicines for my father for the past three days but all shops are closed. Doctor said this medicine is urgent otherwise the patient can develop complication,” said Arshid of downtown Srinagar.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, some doctors alleged that their work has been hampered by police and paramilitary forces.
“Despite government announcement that identity cards of doctors will be considered as curfew passes, we were not allowed by police and paramilitary forces to attend our duty,” they said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST