Allegations of misconduct and indifferent behaviour by staff members have surfaced against two major government health facilities in the city, with patients claiming they are often met with arrogance instead of care.
Residents visiting the Government Urban Primary Health Centre in Lal Bazar have complained that some female staff members display what they describe as an “indecent and arrogant attitude” towards patients, particularly those from economically weaker sections.
Javed Ahmad, a local resident who visited the centre while experiencing severe pain, alleged that a young female staff member asked him to leave the facility in what he called a “rude and intimidating” manner.
“I was in agony and went there seeking help, but instead of assistance, I was made to feel like a burden,” Ahmad told Good Morning Kashmir. His experience, he said, was not an isolated incident.
The complaints extend beyond Lal Bazar. Patients at the Sub District Hospital Hazratbal have also raised similar concerns about staff behaviour, describing it as rude and intimidating.
Residents have further alleged that on-duty staff sometimes facilitate medical consultations for their relatives and family members, causing significant delays and inconvenience to other patients waiting for treatment.
“While we wait for hours, staff members are busy attending to their own people who visit here on reference. This is not how a government hospital should function,” a local resident said on condition of anonymity.
Locals claimed that complaints regarding the alleged conduct of certain staff members had been raised in the past as well, but no effective corrective action followed. This lack of accountability, they said, had allegedly emboldened the behaviour.
When contacted, the Chief Medical Officer Srinagar did not receive calls from this reporter despite multiple attempts. This story will be updated once the concerned authorities provide their version.
Residents have urged the health department to intervene, ensure discipline among staff, and establish a fair system where patients are treated without discrimination or preferential treatment.
