GUREZ: A pregnant woman and her unborn child died amid allegations of delayed medical referral and inadequate facilities at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Dawar in north Kashmir’s Gurez valley.
Locals identified the woman as Haseena Begum, wife of Showkat Ahmad and a resident of Menzgund, Tulail. They alleged that she required urgent medical attention and blood support, which they claimed were unavailable at SDH Dawar, prompting doctors to advise her referral to District Hospital Bandipora.
However, residents alleged that sub-divisional authorities denied permission to shift the patient because of snowfall in Gurez, delaying her transfer to the district hospital.
Locals told Kashmir Convener that woman’s condition deteriorated while she remained at SDH Dawar till her blood level dropped drastically. She died on the way to Bandipora after the referral was eventually made though very late.
Residents also alleged that the hospital lacked the blood-related facilities and specialist care required to manage such emergencies. The allegations could not be independently verified.
The incident has prompted demands for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the referral, the availability of emergency medical services at SDH Dawar and the alleged restrictions on ambulance movement during snowfall.
Local news agencies quoted Block Medical Officer (BMO) Gurez quoting that the woman was referred from Primary Health Centre (PHC) Sheikhpora with a haemoglobin level of 5 g/dL and arrived at SDH Dawar in a state of shock, with ”intrauterine death (IUD) already reported’.
The BMO said doctors at SDH Dawar tried their best to save her and attempted to refer her to Bandipora in time. The ambulance, however, could not proceed towards Bandipora twice due to restrictions imposed amid a road closure, the BMO said.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gurez told news agency KNS that the administration made every effort to facilitate the ambulance’s movement. Snow had accumulated on the road and snowfall was continuing, making movement difficult, the SDM said, adding that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was approached early in the morning with a request to clear the road.
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