An association of Indian doctors on Wednesday condemned the detention of a doctor in Jammu and Kashmir’s capital Srinagar two days ago while he was speaking to the media about a health crisis in the state. Severe restrictions were placed in the state on August 5, when the Centre revoked its special status.

In a video, urologist Omar Salim was seen being whisked away by the police from Srinagar’s press enclave.

“Even though he was released later on, his detention violates the human rights of the patients to get healthcare and the doctor to provide healthcare without any threat,” said Indian Doctors for Peace and Development. “This has exposed the claims of the government about normalcy in the situation.”

The group is an affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which received Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.

The Indian doctors’ association said the health of people in the state would undoubtedly be affected after being “under siege for 24 days now”. It added that healthcare professionals were not prohibited from reaching out to patients anywhere else in the world.

“This is a criminal act on the part of the government and violation of all international conventions on healthcare,” the group said. “In such a situation when the supply of the drugs in shortage the patients are bound to suffer.” It also cautioned about an increase in cases of malnourishment because of lack of regular income, and appealed to the government to ease the restrictions immediately.

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In his address to the media, Salim had highlighted the condition of his patients, who he claimed were not getting the required treatment because of restrictions in the region. He said many patients who require dialysis thrice a week were getting it once.

The doctor also said that many patients were not being able to make it to hospitals or buy medicines because of inadequate cash in banks. “If patients don’t receive dialysis, they will die,” he added. “If cancer patients don’t receive chemotherapy, they will die. Those patients who can’t be operated on can die.”

Last week, 20 doctors issued an open statement, raising concerns about the public health situation in the state. On August 20, a group of 18 doctors had published a letter in medical journal The BMJ, voicing similar concerns.

The Centre revoked the state’s special constitutional status on August 5, and enforced a curfew and a communications blockade. Some restrictions have been eased, especially in Jammu, but the Kashmir Valley is still under lockdown.

Here is the full text of the statement:

The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) has in strong words condemned the detention and then taking away Dr Omar a urologist in Srinagar just because he had request to the government to ensure that patients get due healthcare without any hindrances. Even though he was released later on, his detention violates the human rights of the patients to get healthcare and the doctor to provide healthcare without any threat. This has exposed the claims of the government about normalcy in the situation. In a statement released Dr Arun Mitra – Senior Vice President and Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman – General Secretary said that it needs no explanation that in a place under siege for 24 days now the health of the people would not be affected adversely. Nowhere in the world health providers are denied reach to the patients. This is a criminal act on the part of the government and violation of all international conventions on healthcare. In such a situation when the supply of the drugs in shortage the patients are bound to suffer. In the absence of daily income malnourishment will increase. We appeal to the government to immediately ease the situation, remove the curfew in all parts of the valley with immediate effect.  

Dr Arun Mitra

MBBS; MS (ENT Surgeon)

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