Hospitals across Kashmir are grappling with an acute shortage of doctors, causing immense difficulties for patients and their attendants. The situation has led to growing calls for authorities to reassign doctors currently holding administrative positions to clinical roles where their expertise is urgently needed.
Attendants at several healthcare facilities have expressed frustration over the lack of adequate medical staff to handle the patient load. “Patients are waiting for hours, and in some cases, critical cases are being delayed due to the shortage of doctors,” said Bashir Ahmad, who was accompanying a patient at a district hospital.
The shortage has put immense pressure on the existing staff, who are often overworked. A senior doctor at one of the leading hospitals in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The gap between the number of patients and available doctors is widening. We need more hands on deck to ensure timely and quality treatment.”
Many attendants are urging the government to review the administrative roles assigned to doctors and prioritize their placement in hospitals. “Doctors are trained to save lives. While administrative roles are important, the current crisis demands that their clinical expertise be utilized where it is needed the most,” said Shabir Ahmed, a local resident.
“The shortage of doctors is not just a staffing problem; it has direct implications on patient care and outcomes,” said a medico. “Reallocating doctors from administrative positions to hospitals can be a short-term solution, but long-term planning, including recruitment drives, is essential to address this crisis.”
In response to the concerns, a senior health department official said, “We are aware of the issue and are actively working on strategies to mitigate the problem. Deploying doctors from administrative posts to hospitals is under consideration.”
