Centre sealed as authorities examine circumstances surrounding death
Srinagar, July 01: A 35-year-old woman from North Kashmir's Baramulla district died during a procedure at Harkaar IVF & Maternity Centre in Hyderpora, which the family alleged was operating without mandatory registration.
A pall of gloom descended Darwa area of Wagoora in Baramulla after the death of the woman reached there, triggering strong protests by her family, who accused the treating doctor of gross medical negligence and demanded a criminal investigation into the incident.
Accusing the hospital of murder and medical negligence, the bereaved family demanded a transparent, time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
Family sources said the deceased, originally from Bandipora and married in Baramulla's Wagoora area, had visited Harkaar IVF & Maternity Centre at Hyderpora for treatment.
Her husband and family members stated that she was admitted to the IVF centre for a procedure in the uterus. As per the family, her condition deteriorated soon after she was administered anaesthesia during the procedure.
“Soon after she was administered anaesthesia, we noticed unusual activity as the doctors and staff kept coming in and going out of the operation theatre. We repeatedly asked them if everything was alright, and they assured us that the patient was fine.” he said.
The family alleged that instead of informing them about her actual condition, the doctors shifted her to Super Speciality Hospital Shireen Bagh, Srinagar. The woman’s husband alleged that doctors at Shireen Bagh informed them that she had died before being brought there.
“We brought her here for IVF treatment. She was healthy and walked into the hospital on her own. We were shocked to learn that she had already died before reaching Shireen Bagh hospital,” he said.
The incident sparked protests outside Harkaar IVF & Maternity Centre, where family and relatives accused the management of attempting to evade responsibility. They claimed that by the time they reached the facility, they found the premises locked despite it being a working day.
Protesting family members questioned why a medical institution would shut its doors immediately after such an incident and urged the Health Department to seal the centre pending an impartial investigation.
They also demanded strict legal action against those found responsible. They solely held Dr Sajad Wani, the owner of the Centre responsible for what they called murder of lady. The family has specifically alleged that an excessive dose of anaesthesia led to her death.
However, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Srinagar, Dr. Tahir Sajad, said the IVF centre, which was still under construction, was operating without the mandatory registration, following which all its records and documents were sealed on Wednesday.
“The centre was functioning as an IVF facility without obtaining registration from the competent authorities. It was a newly established facility, and the matter is under investigation,” he said.
He said registration for IVF centres is granted by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, and the facility had been operating without the required approval. Officials also confirmed that the centre was locked after the incident and that its staff had fled the premises.
A preliminary inquiry has been initiated jointly by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir and the CMO Office Srinagar. Health authorities have also requested the police to register an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
Despite repeated attempts, the owner of the Harkaar IVF & Maternity Centre and the treating doctor could not be reached for their response. We will update this report once we get their version.
The family appealed to the Lieutenant Governor, the Chief Minister, and the Health Minister to take cognizance of the incident and ensure a fair investigation, while demanding strict action against the doctors found responsible.