SMHS Hospital Incident Raises Serious Concerns

OVERCROWDING & VIOLENCE:

- Syed Mohammad Burhan

The Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has issued a renewed appeal for public cooperation and stricter regulation inside hospital premises after a resident doctor was assaulted in the emergency ward of SMHS Hospital.

The incident, which took place on the night of July 22, has once again brought to light the growing tension between medical professionals and attendants in Kashmir's overcrowded healthcare facilities.

Terming the incident "unfortunate but revealing," SMHS Hospital Administrator Muhammad Ashraf Hakak said the assault underscores the urgent need for better crowd control and public discipline within hospitals. “One patient is usually accompanied by three to four attendants. Most of them play no role in the treatment process but end up overcrowding emergency wards and interfering with procedures,” Hakak told reporters during a press briefing.