The family members of a patient from Pattan area of north Kashmir, who underwent a surgery at Al Amin Hospital Hyderpora four days before have accused doctors of removing his kidney “fraudulently” during the procedure.
Ali Mohammad Dar, a carpet weaver hailing from Hanjivera village was admitted in the hospital on 02 March 02 for the “stone removing procedure”.
The 40-year-old patient was operated by two doctors, who started the surgery on his left kidney at 6 pm on the same day. The USG had suggested ‘small right renal cortical cyst.’
They removed stones, but in the meantime the patient had suffered excessive bleeding.
Patient’s son, Imran Ali alleged that the doctors removed his father’s kidney “fraudulently” after they failed to control the blood and ruined his life.”
He said the surgical procedure was performed by two doctors including a retired surgeon Dr Ghulam Nabi of Sopore who occasionally comes to the hospital to treat the patients.
“During the time of surgery, a doctor came out from the operation theater and asked us to sign the documents which enraged us,” Imran said.
“Following his bleeding, the doctors at the hospital arranged blood for the patient. Fearing adversity they told attendants to refer him to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital.”
“If it is a private hospital why they do not provide proper facilities?” he questioned adding that they were charged 11,000 rupees for the procedure.
“After removing his kidney fraudulently, a doctor asked me to give remaining 5000 dues while my father was still in the theater,” Imran said.
He alleged that doctors at Al Amin Hospital asked them to vacate the hospital at the eleventh hour.
However, the patient Ali was referred to SMHS during the night but doctors there felt suspicious and did not entertain the patient for some time.
“We are very poor and cannot afford the medicines now. Al Ameen doctors ruined my life…,” said Ali.
“Yesterday, doctors asked us to bring some costly injections but we were not able to purchase them. We took credit from the relatives,” he said.
According to the family, the kidney was handed to them when the patient was referred to SMHS Hospital. “It is now in Government Medical College for a test,” they said.
The aggrieved family also alleged: “When the patient was about to be referred from Al Ameen, they even asked us to vacate the hospital.”
“A doctor among the duo asked me to give remaining rupees 5000 (charges),” said Imran.
The family has appealed the health department “to take strict action against the hospital, one of the well-known institutes in Hyderpora”.
However, Dr Muktar of Al Amin Hospital Hyderpora told Kashmir Post they removed the kidney to save the patient.
He added that they also arranged blood for him.
“I visited the hospital. I myself donated one pint of blood to save him. My five friends also donated blood,” he said.
Dr Mukhtar who assisted the surgeon during the procedure said when the surgeon started the procedure; the patient did not stop bleeding.
“I went to the theater and assisted the doctor to save the patient. I also called my friend, a senior urologist. He came here and suggested us to refer the patient,” he said.
He claimed that the family of the patient has “wrongly selected the surgeon on their own”.
“He had already operated the patient in the past. We have not taken any money from the patient.”
He said: “It was his greatness to call the urologist for the patient. He came here on humanitarian grounds and helped to save the patient.”
The surgeon Dr Ghulam Nabi said: “It is a complication and it happens often with patients.” “We will support the family financially and I will talk to the family,” he said and disconnected the phone.
The proprietor of the hospital Dr Nazir Ahmad Rather said that the family gave them consent to remove the kidney if needed to save the patient. “We had asked the concerned doctor to refer the patient to SKIMS but he had some interest in the patient,” he said.
“We are health care providers. Our hospital is a charitable trust and around 50 doctors are associated with us to do surgeries for minimal charges.”
“The family is telling lies. They should go to the doctor’s (surgeon) home and clinic,” Dr Nazir said. “We have provided the family all possible help and he is stable,” he added.
