DAK demands restoration of internet to hospitals, doctors
Srinagar, Dec 13 : The initiative ‘Save Heart, Save Brain’ taken by the doctors across Kashmir has taken a hit due to the continuous suspension of internet services since August 5.
The Valley’s Cardiologists had taken an initiative ‘Save Heart Kashmir’, a WhatsApp network which was run by eminent cardiologists and physicians in J&K, is dysfunctional and ‘Save Brain’ initiative is also not functioning due to the continuous internet suspension.
The internet services were suspended by the government in the intervening night of August 4-5, when the government in centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (Article 370) and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two Union Territories.
President Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK), Dr Suhail Naik said the continuous internet blockade after August 05 has made the work of doctors difficult to deliver the optimal health services in the hospitals. “Delivery of best medical services largely depend on continuous learning process through internet as medical knowledge keeps on rapidly evolving with new emerging diagnostic practices and delivery of patient care,” he said.
He stated that delivery of Ayushman Bharat services that provide free medical services across Jammu and Kashmir to poor people having golden cards has been hampered badly adding the process of availing benefits is internet based.
General Secretary DAK, Dr Owais H Dar said the ‘Save Heart Kashmir’ initiative, a WhatsApp network which was run by eminent cardiologists and physicians in J&K, is dysfunctional.
“There are nearly one thousand doctors associated with the initiative but due to suspension of initiative, they are unable to run it with the result doctors are unable to get immediate advice from specialists in case of cardiac emergencies in hospitals,” he said.
Similarly, Dar said the ‘Save Brain’ initiate is also not functioning for the past four months for want of internet. “Another WhatsApp group launched by Health and Medical Education is also not functioning,” he said.
Dr Arshid Trag, Joint secretary DAK said the doctors association is receiving hundreds of phone calls from the medicos across Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of internet to hospitals.
It said that due to the lack of internet the research works in the medical colleges across Jammu and Kashmir have been hit which worried the research scholars.
Meanwhile, DAK urged the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu Kashmir Girish Chandra Murmu to restore the broadband services so that doctors are able to deliver the best towards patients care.
