Srinagar, Aug 17: The inquiry ordered into the reported deaths of two patients at a private hospital in Srinagar has once again raised an uncomfortable question.
Under what circumstances are these procedures carried out in the private sector, and what is the level of monitoring and emergency care set-up necessary to safeguard lives during surgery.
Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar last week constituted a seven-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the cases at Moj Gobur (Medlyn) Hospital, Chanapora. Two women, as per reports, underwent procedures at this private facility, developed complications and following which, at least one of them lost life.
The inquiry is to include patients’ medical records, treatment and operative notes, investigations, post-operative monitoring, availability of ICU and emergency support, and any possible delay. It must investigate whether there was any negligence or lapse in treatment. The panel has been asked to submit its report within five days.
The case also raises many question that J&K’s health administration has confronted before. Important one: are government doctors undertaking procedures in private hospitals during hours when they are supposed to be serving in government institutions? Documented evidence has made it clear that this is not just a matter of rumour. In July 2025, J&K government barred six doctors from private practice after an investigation under the Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY/SEHAT scheme.
The SHA inquiry revealed that the doctors were involved in private practice during official duty hours and unethical referrals to private empanelled hospitals. In one peculiar case, the SHA’s assessment found that a government surgeon had performed 1807 surgeries in private hospitals, while no surgeries were recorded for him at the government institution where he was drawing salary from. He was subsequently barred from private practice.
In March 2025, the Health Department had directed government doctors to remain available at their designated hospitals during working hours.
It had instructed heads of institutions to monitor attendance and investigate complaints of private practice during duty hours.
If a government specialist is performing procedures in a private facility during official hours, he or she is naturally rushed to report back for biometric sign-out. More important, will there be adequate follow-up of the case, and addressing to emergency if it arises.
CMO Srinagar, Dr Tahir Sajjad said the Directorate carries out inspections of the CCTV footage of hospitals to check if a Government doctors is present at the facility during official government working hours. This claim of safeguard, even if true, is not an efficient one given the number of hospitals and private clinics operational in Srinagar and other districts.
Kashmir has seen growing private-sector activity around fertility treatment, hysteroscopy, hysterectomy and other gynaecological procedures over the recent past.
Whenever a woman dies following one of these interventions, it is blamed on individual medical complications. Hysteroscopy or hysterectomy are not inherently unsafe, but established medical procedures. Complications can occur even when appropriate and adequate care is provided. The question is whether protocols designed to recognise, prevent and respond to complications are consistently being followed in private facilities.
In addition, unethical medical practices and ruling out business-driven procedures is a growing concern. Moreover, the redress mechanism for complaints is unchartered, and unclear. In some cases, inquiries are ordered, however, the it is unclear whether any action is taken if the inquiry finds lapses in treatment and care delivered, is unclear.
Dr Sajjad, CMO Srinagar said that many punitive steps and deterrents have been set in past for established cases of negligence. “The Harkar IVF Center is still sealed,” he said, while recalling the recent case. Experts believe, that a procedure may itself be routine, and yet be risky.
Anaesthesia-related complications, bleeding, infection and thromboembolic events can end a life, and undo a successful procedure. These emergencies require rapid recognition and specialist intervention. These also require critical care at times. “However, whether these essentials are available in places where surgeries are carried out needs to be scrutinised by the health department,” a senior medico said.
