The death of an expectant mother in the absence of a doctor in a district hospital tells volumes about the real story of rural health care system in Jammu and Kashmir. The story is not all that bright in urban areas especially the two capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir. The sick state of health is visible when State Government has been claiming and proclaiming about providing world class medi-care to the people. The story of apathy is written in large letters in the Govt-run hospitals and the worst part of the story is the only Super Speciality Hospital in Jammu city where patients in the absence of power had to be kept in the corridors in last summer. Keeping the prevailing poor infrastructure and doctors’ availability in big hospitals, the absence of a doctor from a district hospital is not at all alarming. It is unfortunate that a woman had to sacrifice her life to highlight the poor status of medicare in the State. Last year the shortage of doctors in hospitals was highlighted in the Assembly too where it was said over 1,000 post’s of doctors and 4,000 posts of para-medical staff were lying vacant. The government has decided to fill up these vacancies on fast track basis. Ramban incident, except for the protest and blocking of the highway for few hours, has not even been able to raise eyebrows in the power corridors. The concerned doctor might have been suspended for few days to cool down tempers of the people. The decaying health care system has not changed a bit from its age-old practices and doctors always have alibi to take cover by claiming long hours of working and lack of facilities. Any death or any casualty in hospital is unfortunate and in fact government of the day should be made accountable for such negligence and inefficient administration rather blaming the staffers. The death of a pregnant woman in Ramban should at least wake up the government on the state of doctors availability and accountability towards patients.
