Scapegoating Kashmiri Doctors For Infrastructure Failures

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Representational Photo

By Dr Fozia Lone

I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding the recent coverage of Dr Anjum Nazir's case. I want to bring to your attention the news of two doctors suspended after what has been reported by the media as a,“Botched Surgery” in Sopore: Dr. Anjum Nazir is facing accusations of performing an unnecessary hysterectomy instead of an ENT procedure. The incident, which went viral on social media, has sparked public outrage and calls for a lifetime ban on her private practice. The health department has launched an investigation into the matter. As an expert in the law of tort, having authored two books on the subject that delve extensively into medical negligence, I find this case particularly disturbing.

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The reporting presents Dr Nazir in a light that suggests malpractice and negligence, overlooking critical context essential for an accurate understanding of the situation. This misrepresents the facts and threatens to undermine our community's healthcare dialogue. Given that the case is still under investigation, it is especially troubling to see allegations of wrongdoing without robust evidence.

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Irresponsible journalism often lacks accountability and fails to uphold factual accuracy, sensationalising events without providing essential context. The 2011 ruling by the House of Lords in Reynolds v. Times Newspapers Ltd underscores the obligation of journalists to report fairly and thoroughly, recognising the importance of presenting both sides of a story-especially in matters of public interest.

Additionally, India's Chief Justice Dipak Misra has noted that journalists should not fabricate narratives as if they are“sitting in some pulpit,” stressing press freedom must be exercised with responsibility. While the Supreme Court endorses media freedoms, it simultaneously emphasises the need for integrity and a factual basis in reporting.

Read Also Botched Surgery Case: After 2 Doctors, Govt Suspends Technician 2 Doctors Suspended After Botched Surgery In Sopore

It is important to note that Dr Nazir performed a hysterectomy as an emergency, life-saving intervention with the explicit consent of the patient's husband. Unfortunately, this procedure has been mischaracterised by the media as medical negligence, overlooking the significant issue of inadequate patient identification protocols within Kashmir's healthcare system. Rather than addressing the underlying problems contributing to these systemic failures, the media's reporting calls for a ban on private practice. Such misguided suggestions will not improve healthcare for the people of Kashmir; in fact, they could worsen an already critical situation. Public hospitals in the region are not well-equipped, as evidenced by troubling reports of unsanitary conditions that have led to alarming incidents, including newborns being harmed by rodents.

Furthermore, the healthcare system fails to meet the population's needs satisfactorily. The current doctor-patient ratio is 1:1,880, significantly below the WHO recommendation of 1:1,000 (see Ab. Hamid Mir & S A Bhat, 'Health Status and Access to Health Care Services in Jammu and Kashmir State, Asian Review of Social Sciences 7(3):52-57, 2018). Consequently, Kashmiris turn to private healthcare due to dissatisfaction with public services. If private facilities were banned, the emergency capacity would diminish, resulting in devastating consequences for patient care in Kashmir.

Health is a central focus in three of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), encompassing eight of the sixteen associated targets and eighteen of the forty-eight specific indicators. It is recognised as a crucial sector for social services, demonstrating a direct correlation with overall human welfare and development outcomes. Since health is vital for economic growth and the general welfare of a state, advocating for meaningful reforms within the healthcare system is imperative.

In Dr Anjum Nazir's case, addressing hospital administration and patient safety issues must take precedence to ensure that the people of Kashmir know how the doctors in Kashmir act in an emergency despite administrative errors and how she saved the patient. Unfortunately, irresponsible journalism has concentrated on her faults despite the inquiry not proving anything against her yet. As a result, Dr Anjum Nazir has faced unjust persecution from government actions-she was suspended, her private practice was banned, and she was transferred to Jammu.

Instead, the focus of the reporting should shift away from Dr Nazir and address the systemic deficiencies that jeopardise patient safety in Kashmir. In the Kashmir region, both public and private hospitals fail to assign unique identifiers, such as names and numbers, that remain consistently linked to patients. This is a basic protocol observed all over the world. In Kashmir, doctors are unfairly expected to identify patients despite working with limited resources and support. Instances where the wrong patient may have undergone surgery are administrative errors, not the doctors' fault. For example, Dr Anjum Nazir performed surgery based on the written consent of the patient's husband; how is it her fault? This highlights an administrative error rather than a failure on the doctor's part. Such systemic shortcomings lead to confusion and miscommunication, ultimately compromising patient care and unfairly vilifying doctors.

Moreover, the scrutiny surrounding this case and many others before it drives skilled professionals-including distinguished doctors-to seek opportunities abroad where our doctors are respected, and they get a chance to work in a more organised and conducive environment for practice.

On January 26, 2025, Dr Nazir, was awarded an award for successfully performing the most surgeries. However, your news failed to mention this accomplishment, choosing to sensationalise the news instead. The media did not report that Dr Nazir secured the top position in her MBBS programme and topped in her Diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGO) and Master in Surgery (MS). She is an outstanding medical professional with remarkable intellectual ability and dedication to her medical education. Her extensive portfolio of awards, certifications, and degrees highlights her expertise and unwavering commitment to medicine. However, your news failed to point out that and only focused on sensationalism and increasing news views and increasing your Television Rating Points (TRP).

In a democratic country like India, the media must encourage discussions highlighting systemic challenges rather than unfairly attributing blame to dedicated professionals prioritising patient welfare in difficult situations.

Views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer

• The author is an Associate Professor & Associate Director CPLR, School of Law, City University of Hong Kong

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