A hospital’s dilemma: How to tell its doctor his son is dead?

SRINAGAR:ON Friday evening, it was one of the toughest calls the doctors and paramedics posted in district hospital Pulwama had to take, to reveal the news of the death of a 15-yearold Faizan Ahmad to his father who is posted in the hospital as a medical officer (MO).

Perturbed Dr Abdul Gani was anxiously waiting outside the operation theatre while the doctors trying to revive his son who had received bullet during clashes between police and the locals who were pelting stones to break the cordon, so that militants who were engaged in an encounter with the forces could escape at Chatpora Pulwama.

Around 5:45pm, the doctors in the hospital received a call from neighbouring Rajpora hospital that Dr Gani’s son posted in the hospital got injured and had been shifted to the district hospital.

“Dr Gani had completed his duty and was at his quarters within the hospital. Since the encounter was in progress, almost all staff members were in the hospital when we received this tragic news. I had just sent a message to Dr Gani and he came to hospital when his son was being taken inside the operation theatre,’’ medical superintendent, said Dr Abdul Rashid Parra, adding that while they were trying to revive the boy, doctors realised that he couldn’t survive.

“We tried all the procedures. We couldn’t revive him as bullet has pierced in his chest close to heart. I along with my staff members was inside the operation theatre. The most difficult task was to convey our colleague (Dr Gani) about his son’s death,’’ he said, adding that finally I came out and conveyed him that his son has lost his battle with the life.

“For all of us, it was a tragic news. My other staff members were also crying as this boy grew in the premises of our hospital and when I told Dr Gani about his son’s death he broke down.’’

Dr Khan has been serving in the Pulwama from past 15 years and was living in the family quarters of the hospital. Faizan was his middle son and a Class 9 student. “Faizan was a bright student and his father wanted him to excel in studies, but he became victim of the war going on in south Kashmir,’’ said another doctor posted in the hospital.

After Faizan was declared dead, medical superintendent along with other staff members in the hospital took the young boy to his native place at Khrew.

“From past three years, we have seen many people dying in our hospital, young, old and students. This time, it as such that the hospital has lost its own son,’’ he said, adding that the hospital staff stayed at the native house of doctor till 10pm.

Director health Dr Saleemur-rehman said his staff has been performing duties even during odd hours without caring for their families. “Our staff had rendered many sacrifices and even performed duties when their families were in trouble,’’ he said.

Body of Faizan was buried in the native village on Saturday morning amid rains as thousands of people participated in the funeral shouting pro-freedom slogans. Police said Faizan was killed during the protest near the encounter site while people where trying to break the cordon so that holed up militants could escape. Initially, police said three militants were killed in the encounter, however, in the morning, body of one militant, Sajjad Ahmad, of Handwara was recovered.