MS, JVC and HoD COVID Team Soura didn’t follow protocol, initial inquiry reveals

SRINAGAR — Initial inquiry into the death of first Kashmir COVID-19 patient has revealed that Medical Superintendent JVC SKIMS Bemina and HoD COVID Team, Soura didn’t follow the protocol and let the patient mingle with common masses.

Insiders said that initial findings reveal that Medial Superintendent JVC SKIMS Bemina neither informed the Principal nor the District Administration nor COVID Containment Coordinator of the hospital about the patient, who arrived in JVC at 8:30 in the morning of March 21 with active symptoms of Coronavirus disease.

They said that the patient (now deceased) arrived at JVC SKIMS Bemina on March 21 and came into contact with a Consultant and Para-medical staff.

He said that due to lack of testing facility, the patient was shifted to SKIMS Soura.

The ironical part is that MS JVC SKIMS took the matter lightly and didn’t inform anyone, even not the District Administration and Principal and the Coordinator.

Then negligence was shown by COVID Team, Head at SKIMS Soura, where the Consultant didn’t bother to collect the samples of the slain COVID-19 patient despite knowing the fact that the patient was showing clear symptoms of Coronavirus disease and travel history.

Surprisingly, at SKIMS Soura, the patient was allowed to go home without being admitted or tested in the hospital.

Insiders said that the slain patient showed clear symptoms of Coronavirus infection and they after a check-up referred him to SKIMS but there, he was neither tested nor admitted.

They blamed Medical Superintendent JVC and HoD COVID Team, Soura and said that both these officials should be taken to task.

“Both these officials didn’t follow the protocol. MS, JVC was duty bound to inform the Principal, Coordinator and District Administration about the patient who was showing clear symptoms of COVID-19 disease. She didn’t do so and concealed the facts. HoD COVID Team, Soura, again didn’t follow the protocol and allowed the patient to mingle with people.”

Pertinently, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has ordered probe into the death of the first COVID patient in Kashmir.

The Divisional Commissioner in his order had stated that the patient has been given ample time to spread the virus by intermingling with the public and relatives. “The negligence at the hands of hospital administration has resulted in a lot of confusion and vulnerability amongst masses.”

The Divisional Commissioner asked Medical Superintendent SKIMS Bemina and Head of the Department, Chest Medicine SKIMS Bemina to explain their position forthwith.

Pertinent to mention here is that 11 Para-medical staffers, who had come into contact with the deceased COVID-19 patient, have been quarantined.