Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Health Minister Sakina Itoo on Monday night inspected Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag and directed the hospital administration to ensure the availability of senior doctors during night hours, stressing that no patient should be left unattended.
During the visit, the Minister inspected patient care facilities and reviewed the overall functioning of the hospital.
She directed the administration to put in place arrangements so that senior doctors remain available during night shifts, ensuring that patients receive timely medical attention and that hospital services continue without interruption. She also made it clear that negligence or any compromise in patient care would not be tolerated.
Her directions come amid concerns over the availability of senior doctors during night hours at the hospital, an issue that has raised questions about patient care and accountability.
The visit follows a case reported last week, in which a patient’s family alleged that a woman with acute abdominal pain did not get timely specialist care at night and was later operated on at SKIMS Soura. The college principal said at the time that senior doctors remain available on call and that the complaint would be formally investigated, while locals appealed to the Minister to enforce her earlier assurance of senior doctors’ presence at night in hospitals. Monday’s inspection is the first ministerial response on the ground to that concern.
An unannounced night inspection signals that the government wants to check the actual position rather than rely on reports. Hospitals attached to medical colleges depend heavily on junior residents and postgraduate trainees at night, and the central question has been whether senior consultants are physically present or merely reachable by phone. The Minister’s direction suggests that availability must be real and verifiable, though the statement did not specify whether on-site presence has been made mandatory.
Health experts say that clear duty rosters, accountability for each shift and periodic checks are necessary to ensure that such directions are followed. Patients and attendants at the hospital will be watching whether the instructions translate into a visible change in night-time care, and whether the earlier complaint leads to any action.
The statement did not mention any findings from the inspection or any disciplinary action. Further details on the arrangements to be introduced are awaited from the administration.
