Raman Suri asks govt to not take healthcare negligence lightly

JAMMU: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raman Suri has expressed serious concern over recurring reports of alleged negligence in government hospitals and urged the health authorities to treat such incidents with the utmost seriousness rather than as isolated occurrences. He said that every allegation relating to medical negligence, delayed treatment, incorrect medication, lack of timely care, or avoidable referrals must be thoroughly investigated so that accountability is ensured and public confidence in the healthcare system remains intact.

Referring to the recent incident at GMC Rajouri, where allegations surfaced following the death of a woman during treatment, Raman Suri said that while the administration acted promptly by ordering an inquiry and suspending the concerned staff pending investigation, such incidents continue to create anxiety and unrest among the public. Similar complaints have emerged from time to time from different hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir regarding delays in treatment, shortage of specialists, inadequate facilities, and procedural lapses.

Even if such incidents are relatively few in number compared to the vast number of patients treated every day, they have a disproportionate impact on public perception and trust. Raman Suri emphasized that the overwhelming majority of doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers are serving with dedication and commitment under extremely challenging circumstances. With limited resources, increasing patient loads, and long working hours, medical professionals continue to save lives and provide essential healthcare services to the people.

It would therefore be unfair to judge the entire medical fraternity on the basis of a few unfortunate incidents. However, wherever negligence is suspected, transparent and time-bound investigations must be conducted and appropriate action taken against those found responsible. “Public faith in hospitals and healthcare workers is vital for the effective functioning of the healthcare system. Any incident that weakens this trust must be addressed swiftly and decisively. At the same time, genuine healthcare professionals who are working tirelessly should be protected from unwarranted criticism,” he said.

The BJP leader noted that government hospitals witness an enormous rush of patients and attendants every day, putting tremendous pressure on available infrastructure and manpower. While this reality cannot be ignored, it should not become an excuse for deficiencies in patient care. Instead, authorities must focus on strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving service delivery across all levels.

Raman Suri also raised concern over the growing referral culture, where patients are frequently referred from district hospitals to larger tertiary care institutions, often for conditions that could be treated locally if adequate facilities and specialists were available. He said this not only causes inconvenience, financial burden, and emotional distress to patients and their families but also increases pressure on already overburdened medical colleges and major hospitals.

He urged the government to take concrete measures to make district hospitals and sub-district hospitals self-sufficient by equipping them with modern diagnostic and treatment facilities, advanced medical equipment, adequate supplies of medicines, and the required number of specialist doctors and support staff. Vacant posts should be filled on priority, and healthcare infrastructure should be upgraded in a phased but time-bound manner.