Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
SRINAGAR: Heroics of a 50-year-old man went in vain after his wife, who he had carried on his back to reach the hospital, passed away at her home in remote Jhada village of Tanghdar tehsil in Kupwara district.
Carrying his ailing wife on his back, Manga Chechi traversed 13 kilometers through the treacherous mountains to reach the hospital at Tangdhar on Friday.
“His wife passed away two days ago. She was ill and died at her home. She was brought to the hospital for treatment. I am going there now,” said Mohammad Maqbool, Sarpanch of Jhada village.
Sub-divisional Magistrate, Tangdhar, Dr. Bilal Ahmad said it was a case of LAMA (left against medical advice). “She had left the hospital against medical advice. She was admitted but she had left the hospital without informing anyone. When doctors went on the evening round, they found her absent,” he said.
District Development Commissioner, Kupwara, Anshul Garg said he (Chechi) did not contact them on the helpline number or grievances redressal number.
“That is why we could not know unless he reached directly (to the hospital). It appears that he was not on the radar that is why we could not reach him and he landed up directly at the hospital,” he said.
A 1.03-minute video of Manga Chechi carrying his wife on his back had gone viral in Kashmir. “His wife was ill for the last two months. A few days ago, her condition deteriorated. There was no employee at the health center and he had to carry his wife on his back to reach the hospital”, said Raja Waqar, deputy sarpanch of Kandi village.
Deputy Commissioner said doctors are not posed in all Primary Health Centers and Sub Centers. “I am sure the doctor might not have posted there,” he said.
In fact, health facilities in Tangdhar are dismal. Most of the doctors posted in the area are BUMS. “There are no specialists available in the area. There have been so many cases where patients died for want of specialized treatment. Particularly during winters, the patients suffer in silence,” said an officer.
