Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog

I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.

The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.

Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.

The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.

This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.

Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Kashmiri Work Ethic Continues to Take its Toll

Lack of professionalism, so abundant in Kashmir, creates another Shopian situation at the Lal Ded (LD) Hospital

Woman dies of ‘medical negligence’ at LD hospital

Srinagar: In the wake of yet another case of alleged medical negligence which killed a woman at Srinagar’s Lal Ded Hospital, Speaker, Legislative Assembly has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

According to reports, a pregnant woman Rehana Akhter, wife of Nazir Ahmed Reshi of Sumbal Sonawari was brought to Lal Ded Hospital yesterday evening where she delivered a girl child after being operated upon by the doctors.

However, immediately after her surgery, she complained of severe abdominal pain. However, her relatives allege that doctors in the hospital were too careless to attend to her even though she was writing in pain.

Later the patient was operated upon once again but even this didn’t help and today morning poor Rehana died a very painful death, which evoked massive protests against the doctors and other hospital staff from her relatives who were also joined by the attendants of other patients.

The protestors placed the body of the deceased women on the main road and sat on a ‘dharna’ (sit-in) demanding action against the negligent doctors. They were also joined by passersby.

While the protests were going on, Speaker Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone visited the Lal Ded Hospital Srinagar straightway from airport after he was informed about the woman’s death, who hailed from his constituency, Sumbal, Sonawari.

The Speaker gave a patient hearing to both doctors as well as the relatives of the deceased woman.

The Speaker called Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar and Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar on the spot and directed Deputy Commissioner to appoint an inquiry committee headed by Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC), Srinagar with HOD Medicine, HOD Surgery and HOD Gynecology as its members to find out cause of death of deceased and to get report completed within 10 days.

Later, Lone had negotiations with agitated relatives of the deceased and pacified them by announcing appointment of inquiry committee and assured them that the guilty will be punished.

Read about the Shopian Tragedy:
http://www.kashmirforum.org/shopian-tragedy.htm

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