It takes 10 minutes for doctor to wear PPE to see COVID patient, claims MS JLNM Hospital

Suhail Khan

SRINAGAR, June 7: A heart wrenching video has gone viral where a COVID-19 patient allegedly died due to non-availability of doctors at JLNM Hospital Rainawari with attendants watching helplessly.

In a 2 minute 30 second video, the son of the deceased is seen saying that he called the doctor but he told him he is not on duty. The incident was highlighted by a journalist Peer Vikar Ul Aslam who shared the video.

The incident happened on Saturday when a COVID-19 patient died at JLNM Hospital.

“There is no doctor available in this ward. Had doctors come then his life could have been saved,” attendant of another patient is seen saying in the video.

“We all should leave home. There are no facilities and doctors,” the son of the deceased person says in the video.

The government has designed JLNM Hospital as COVID-19 hospital.

However, Dr Roshan Din Kasana Medical Superintendent of the JLNM Hospital claimed there was no negligence on part of doctors. “This is not reality that doctors did not attend the patient. Is it possible that for a COVID hospital where there are 140 patients, there will be no doctor. The fact is there were a consultant and a physician there. But it takes doctors 10 minutes to wear a protective gear before seeing a patient because they all are positive cases. A doctor has to protect himself before seeing the patients. We (doctors) remain silent because people don’t understand reality,” he told KINS.
The video has gone viral on social media. “If doctors can’t attend COVID- 19 patients at JLNM Hospital Srinagar then patients should be asked to go home. A viral video has exposed tall claims of doctors and the health system,” Rifat Abdullah, a journalist wrote on his Facebook page.

On this Nazim Bhat commented, “They are nonsense doctors, they only know how to earn money.”

Raja Waseem said, “Very sad, really heartbreaking and horrifying in such circumstances we can only pray to Allah for mercy, such negligence if true is criminal offence.”

However, some people believed that doctors should not be blamed.

“It is heartbreaking but it is a social stigma connected to this disease, doctors can’t be blamed for this whole, we have to follow the directions of WHO, the lockdown guidelines and we don’t have to wander unnecessarily outside. It is happening, we have to witness worse than this if we don’t our mend ways,” another Facebook user said.

While commenting on it Sheikh Saleem claimed that  public and government are responsible for the catastrophe in Kashmir. “Exceeding the number of patients and asking doctors to attend them without special equipment. What will doctors do? Please blame the government not the health system,” he replied to Riffat Abdullah’ post. (KINS)

New Delhi, June 7: Union Minister of State (I/C) for Development of North Eastern Region and MoS in Prime Minister’s office, Dr Jitendra Singh said here Sunday launched COVID BEEP (Continuous Oxygenation & Vital Information Detection Biomed ECIL ESIC Pod), India’s first indigenous, cost-effective, wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for Covid-19 patients, developed by ESIC Medical College Hyderabad.

Asserting that awareness and not anxiety, is the key to fight Covid pandemic, the minister stressed on the importance of prevention and awareness in dealing with this pandemic effectively, now that the process of Unlock.1 has started in a phased manner after a two-month lockdown.

Lauding the efforts of ESIC Medical College Hyderabad, which has come up with yet another innovation in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad and Department of Atomic Energy, for the welfare of insured persons during the present Covid-19 crisis adding to its long list of devices, Dr Singh said the COVID BEEP is a perfect example of how synergy among the reputed institutes of India can offer solutions to most of the challenges faced by the country with minimum cost and thereby make the country ‘Atmanirbhar’ in the true sense.

Dr Singh also said that COVID BEEP would emerge as an effective antidote to the Covid pandemic which the entire world is currently grappling with, an official release here said.

The latest version of COVID BEEP incorporates NIBP monitoring as affected aged people have the highest death rates from Covid-19. Hence, apart from NIBP monitoring, there is ECG monitoring as the drugs used as prophylaxis and/or treatment like Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin have effects on heart which require ECG monitoring. The respiratory rate is calculated by Bio Impedance method.

Further, COVID BEEP will greatly reduce the transmission risk as well as help save resources like PPEs.

Dr Singh appreciated the work of Department of Atomic Energy, under which ECIL falls, in developing solutions to many health-related issues. Contrary to the popular perception, DAE is actively involved in promoting the benevolent use of nuclear energy for the greater welfare of mankind. Be it in the field of generating electricity, augmenting agricultural produce, food preservation or administering the much renowned oncology centre by the name TMC in Mumbai, the department of atomic energy has always risen to the occasion to stand by the country in its hour of need.

MoS for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, DAE Secretary K N Vyas, Dean ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad, Prof Srinivas, Chairman and Managing Director ECIL, Hyderabad, Rear Admiral Sanjay Chaubey (retd) also underlined the importance of such inventions in the present context.

Srinagar, Jun 7: Five militants were killed in an encounter which ensued after security forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday..

Soon after the gunfight broke out internet mobile service of all cellular companies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), were suspended in Shopian and neighbouring Kulgam district.

Defence Ministry Spokesperson Rajesh Kalia told UNI that troops of 1 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF launched a joint CASO at Reban in Shopian following a tip off about the presence of militants in the wee hours.
‘All exit points were sealed and house to house searches launched,’ he said, adding when the security forces were moving towards a particular area in the village, militants hiding there, opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons.
Col Kalia further said troops retaliated ensuing in an encounter. ‘Five militants were killed in the exchange of fire,’ he stated, adding no collateral damage took places due to adherence to all precautionary measures.
Official sources said that additional security forces were deployed in the nearby areas to prevent any demonstration, adding residents living in nearby houses were shifted to safer places.

Srinagar, June 7:  Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked heavy shelling and firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in frontier Kashmir districts of Baramulla and Kupwara on Sunday.
Defence Ministry Spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia told UNI that Pakistani troops, violating the 2003 ceasefire, fired mortar shells at around 1100 hrs on Sunday, targeting forward posts and civilian areas in Keran sector of Kupwara district.
He said the troops from the neighbouring country also opened another front by resorting to unprovoked heavy shelling and firing in Rampur sector of Baramulla, at around 1240 hrs on Sunday. “The Indian troops retaliated at both the fronts,” he added.
Col Kalia said, “The Indian Army is targeting the Pakistan troops’ position with high precision.”

Urges ACB to register case, investigate the matter
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, June 7: Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday alleged that fresh loan scam of Rs 5 crore has emerged in J&K Bank. The party has urged the Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a case and act against the accused.
In a statement BJP’s J&K spokesman Altaf Thakur said, “In a shocking revelation, a whopping Rs 5 crore loan scam has come to fore in Barzulla branch of Jammu and Kashmir bank and the BJP’s J&K unit makes a fervent appeal to the Anti Corruption Bureau to register a case against all those involved in the scam.”

Thakur demanded stern action against the J&K Bank employees involved the scam. “I am shocked to see the documents that reveal a wife of an ex-MLA had managed to get Rs 5 crore loan in the month of May last year from J&K Bank Branch Barzulla Srinagar. Surprisingly, she had kept nothing as mortgage neither was there any guarantor which is against the violation of loan rules,” Thakur said.

What is more shocking, Thakur said, is that in the month of September last year, things were cleared for the borrower not to paying back the loan amount. “Bank rules were flouted brazenly and the reality is that there is no evidence as to why the loan was sanctioned in the favour of the loanee as she had no business unit or a genuine case to seek such a huge amount for loan,” the BJP leader said. He said that irony is that when the scam took place, Pervez Ahmed, the sacked chairman of J&K Bank was heading the institution and the only action he tool was that he attached the zonal head with the headquarters and no action was taken against the person in whose favour the loan was sanctioned.

Thakur said, “This seems to be a tip of the iceberg in J&K Bank scams. We urge the Anti Corruption Bureau to register a case and reach out to bottom of it to find out how rules were violated to appease one particular person. I hope ACB will take note of the issue instantly.”

New Delhi, June 7: After Lieutenant General-level talks between two Himalayan nations ended inconclusively a day ago, India on Sunday said that New Delhi and Beijing have decided to continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas of Eastern Ladakh.

“A meeting was held between the Corps Commander based in Leh and the Chinese Commander on June 6 in the Chushul-Moldo region. It took place in a cordial and positive atmosphere,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

India and China have agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements and keeping in view the agreement between the leaders that peace and tranquillity in the border regions are essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, it added.

According to the MEA, both sides have also noted that this year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of the relationship.

Saturday’s meeting between senior officials of the Indian Army and the Peoples Liberation Army, China lasted for almost six hours to resolve over a month-long stalemate along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

As per sources in the defence establishment, the Indian side had pressed for restoration of status quo ante as it was existing before May 5 and pull up of heavy build-up along the LAC and follow agreements, protocols and laid down drills relating to maintaining ‘peace and tranquillity’ along the LAC and for the conduct of soldiers.

The Indian side was led by Leh-based 14 Corps Commander Lt General Harinder Singh while the Chinese delegation was led by South Xinjiang Military Commander Maj Gen Lin Liu at Moldo BPM point on the Chinese side, some 200 km south-east of Leh.

The meeting started around 1130 hrs, it had a break for lunch around 1430 hrs and resumed afterwards. Officials in Delhi said the meeting was on till 1900 hrs.

The two countries had held around a dozen meetings between commanders at the level of Major General and Brigadier had not succeeded, before the top commanders level.

Srinagar, June 7: Executive Officer J&K Haj committee has asked the Haj pilgrims of Haj-2020, who intend to cancel their pilgrimage, to apply for refund on prescribed proforma available on Haj Committee of India website www.hajcommittee.gov.in and in Haj House, Bemina.
The Executive Officer in the statement said that Haj Committee of India vide Circular No. 13 dated: 05-06-2020 has asked the selected desirous pilgrims who intend to cancel this year’s Haj pilgrimage to apply for 100% refund on the prescribed proforma.
The statement said that it shall be noted that a Photostat copy of passbook showing the details of the account holder (Cover Head) or a copy of cancelled cheque of the account holder (Cover Head) be also kept appended with the prescribed cancellation proforma.

Nadeem Nadu/Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar/Jammu, June 5: A 60-year-old man from Noorbagh area of Srinagar died of COVID-19 on Thursday. He became the eighth Srinagar resident and 35th in the Jammu and Kashmir to succumb to the virus, even as 182 more people tested positive for the deadly virus COVID-19 taking the toll of the infected people across the union territory to 3324.

Dr Salim Tak, Medical Superintendent CD hospital, told GNS that the victim was referred from SMHS hospital here two days ago after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. “He died today (at CD hospital). He had pleural effusion (sometimes referred to as ‘water on the lungs’),” he said.

With the latest fatality, the death toll due to the virus in J&K has gone upto 35. So far Srinagar district with eight deaths due to the virus has highest fatalities, followed by Baramulla 7, Anantnag five, Kulgam four, two each from Shopian, Budgam and Jammu while one death each has been reported from Bandipora, Kupwara Doda and Udhampur.
Officials said among the 182 fresh cases 74 are from Jammu and 108 from Kashmir division.

Moreover, 38 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals, 16 from Jammu Division and 22 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), out of 3324 positive cases, 2202 are Active Positive, 1086 have recovered and 36 have died; 04 in Jammu division and 32 in Kashmir division.

The Bulletin further said that out of 202257test results available, 198933 samples have been tested as negative till June 5, 2020.

Additionally, till date 204900 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which included 44017 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 48 in Hospital Quarantine, 2202 in hospital isolation and 55520 under home surveillance. Besides, 103077 persons have completed their surveillance period.

Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Bandipora has 180 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 43 Active Positive, 136 recovered, 01 death; Srinagar has 366 positive cases (including 22 cases reported today) with 214 Active Positive, 143 recovered, 09 deaths; Anantnag district has 383 positive cases (including 06 cases reported today), with 223 Active Positive, 155 recovered,  05 deaths; Baramulla has 308 positive cases (including 07 cases reported today) with 197 Active Positive, 104 recovered, 07 deaths; Shopian has 282 positive cases (including 42 cases reported today) with 146 Active Positive, 133 recovered (including 21 cases recovered today) and 03 deaths; Kupwara has 331 positive cases (including 13 cases reported today) with 248 Active Positive, 82 recovered and 01 death; Budgam has 138 positive cases (including 09 cases reported today), with 69 Active Positive and 67 recovered cases and 02 deaths; Ganderbal has 42 positive cases (including 01 case reported today) with 16 active positive cases and 26 recoveries; Kulgam has 364 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today), with 309 Active Positive and  51 recoveries (including 01 case recovered today) and 04 deaths and Pulwama reported 121 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 108 active positive and 13 recovered.

Similarly, Jammu has 190 positive cases (including 12 cases reported today) with 125 active positive cases and 63 recoveries (including 11 cases recovered today) and 02 deaths; Udhampur has 123 positive cases (including 26 cases reported today) with 93 active positive cases, 29 recovered and 01 death; Samba has 55 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 34 Active Positive and 21 recoveries; Rajouri has 48 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 43 active positive cases and 05 recovered; Kathua has 94 positive cases (including 11 cases reported today) with 62 Active positive and 32 recovered (including 04 cases recovered today); Kishtwar has 17 positive cases with 13 active positive cases and 04 recovered (including 01 case recovered today); Ramban has 164 positive cases (including 11 cases reported today) with 148 active positive and 16 recoveries; Reasi has 18 positive cases (including 01 case reported today) with 15 active positive and 03 recovered, Poonch has 65  positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 63 active positive and 02 recoveries while Doda has 35 positive cases (including 05 cases reported today) with 33 active positive case and 01 recovered and 01 death.

According to the bulletin, of the total 3324 positive cases in the UT of J&K 1389 have been reported as travelers.

The Bulletin said that the breakup represents districts from which the patients have been traced or are ordinarily residing.

The bulletin has informed the people that, the best way to protect themselves from COVID-19 is by maintaining physical distance of at least 2 metre from others, frequently cleaning hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer or washing them with soap and water and following good respiratory etiquette and hygiene.

As a measure for social distancing in public places and workplaces wearing a face cover is compulsory.

The bulletin again explained that early detection of COVID-19 can prevent the spread of disease so we need to be responsible for the well-being of ourselves and everyone around us. “Not disclosing symptoms could put life of individuals and their families at risk. In case of symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing report early. Do not fear, call COVID-19 helpline numbers and seek medical advice”.

Advisory has further exhorted upon the people not to step out of home, unless absolutely necessary. “If you have to move out for unavoidable reasons, ensure that you wear a mask and practice social distancing, personal hygiene and frequent handwashing with soap and water.”

In case of any emergency people can avail free ambulance services 24×7 at their doorsteps by calling on toll-free number 108 while as pregnant women and sick infants can avail free ambulance services by dialling toll-free number 102.

People can also call on toll-free national helpline number 1075; J&K COVID-19 Helpline Numbers 0191- 2549676 (UT level Cell), 0191-2520982, 0191-2674444, 0191-2674115 (For Jammu Division), 0194-2440283 & 0194-2430581 (For Kashmir Division) for support, guidance, and response to health-related queries on Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

Public is advised to strictly follow the advisories issued by the government from time to time and rely only on the information released by the government through the daily media bulletin to print and electronic media.

People are also advised to refrain from spreading rumours and pay no heed to them at the same time.

Srinagar, June 5: Seven pregnant women and five doctors were among the fresh COVID-19 positive cases reported in J&K on Friday, news agency KNO reported.
It said that 34 tested positive at SKIMS, 64 at CD hospital, 13 at JVC Bemina, 62 at Army command hospital Udhampur and rest at other hospitals.