Doctors/Staff Wear Black Badges at Kishtwar Hospital Amid Row With MLA Shagun Parihar; MS Says, “Ready for En Masse Transfers”

Doctors/Staff Wear Black Badges at Kishtwar Hospital Amid Row With MLA Shagun Parihar; MS Says, “Ready for En Masse Transfers”

KISHTWAR, July 4 [VoM News]: Doctors and medical staff at District Hospital Kishtwar on Saturday wore black badges to protest what they described as harassment, intimidation and unsubstantiated allegations following the recent inspection by MLA Shagun Parihar.

The protest comes after the MLA sought action against doctors, alleging absenteeism during duty hours and accusing some of engaging in private practice while on government duty.

She had demanded that doctors remain present in the hospital from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and warned of protests in the Assembly, outside the Civil Secretariat and the residence of the Health Minister if action was not taken.

Responding to the controversy, Medical Superintendent Dr. Yudhvir Singh said hospital services operate round the clock and it is not possible for the entire staff to remain physically present between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

He explained that doctors work in shifts to ensure 24×7 emergency care and highlighted the heavy workload faced by the hospital despite severe staff shortages.

According to the Medical Superintendent, the hospital records around 719 OPD consultations on that day, across seven to eight specialties, nearly 150 emergency patients, around 50 admissions and multiple surgical procedures, while functioning with limited specialist staff, including only one anaesthetist. He added that doctors were prepared for en masse transfers if necessary.

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The controversy began after a road accident in the Padder area reportedly exposed concerns over the availability of doctors during emergency hours.

While leaving the hospital after her inspection, Parihar alleged that she had waited for nearly one-and-a-half hours before doctors arrived and claimed the National Conference-led government was attempting to defame her and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma.

Meanwhile, PDP’s Youth President Kishtwar Shahbaz Sheikh criticised the MLA, saying the focus should be on strengthening the district hospital rather than reacting only after tragedies.

Official figures indicate that District Hospital Kishtwar currently has 73 vacant gazetted posts. Across Jammu division, the Health Department has 987 gazetted and 2,943 non-gazetted vacancies, underscoring the broader staffing crisis in the region.