RAMBAN: Locals held a protest and blocked National Highway for about two hours against the death of a nine year boy Vikram Singh due to alleged negligence of doctor.
The protesters also raised slogans against the Health Minister Bali Bhagat, hospital administration besides State Government for not providing adequate health facilities in district Ramban resulting in deaths due to lack of timely treatment.
Meantime, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Ramban Angrez Singh Rana alongwith Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ramban Mushtaq Choudhary and other officers rushed to the spot. ADC intervened into the matter and ordered suspension of Medical Officer (MO) then on duty Dr Mohammad Iqbal besides Magisterial inquiry was also initiated in this regard. He also provided rupees ten thousand as a relief to the family of the deceased Vikram Singh son of Anchal Singh after which the protest came to an end.
According to the family member of Vikram Singh, the deceased was hospitalised yesterday at 10:00 PM and further referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Jammu for specialised treatment at 4:00 AM on Sunday but he died during the process.
Sources said that owing the shortage of specialist doctors especially pediatrician and surgeon in DH Ramban due to which deaths are very common in the said hospital.
Moreover, unavailability of these doctors forced the hospital authorities to refer the patients either to Jammu or Srinagar which adds the death rate in district Ramban.
Later, a team of doctors headed by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Ramban Dr Saif-Ud-Din Khan of DH Ramban in the presence of Tehsildar Ramban Paromod Kumar conducted autopsy of the deceased.