After The Indian Express expose about the private clinics run by the doctors and paramedics of the Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar,the Director of the tertiary care hospital,Dr Abdul Hamid Zargar has designated Joint Director of the hospital as Vigilance Officer and asked the practicing doctors to abide by law. Director Zargar,however,has said that name of the hospital would "not be allowed to be maligned because of few individuals" thus whitewashing the fact that majority of the SKIMS doctors are running private clinics. "The authorities have taken a serious note of this (private practice) and asked such persons to strictly abide by the law as SKIMS is a non-practising Institute," Director Zargar said while referring to the reports carried by The Indian Express. "Any information regarding the issue (private practice) should be brought to the immediate notice of the Joint Director,SKIMS,who has been designated as the Vigilance Officer". Director Zargar,however,said that the only some individuals are running their private clinics and the name of the hospital would not be allowed to be maligned. "Its (institute's) name would not be allowed to be maligned because of few individuals," he said. "(This) will be unfair to a majority of the doctors,technical staff,nursing staff and non-gazetted employees,who are not only law-abiding but also serve the people through very difficult times". The Director of the Institute,however,has whitewashed the facts. A detailed investigation by The Indian Express reveals that most of the faculty members of the hospital are running private clinics across the Kashmir valley. Though majority of doctors are involved in private practice,here is the list of top doctors running their private clinics: Dr Mushtaq Wani,Head Department of Neurology is running private clinic from his Peerbagh residence. Dr Showkat Ahmad Zargar,Head department of Gastroenterology is running private clinic from his residence at Jawahar Nagar Bund. Dr Saleem Najar,Head Nephrology,runs his clinic from Wanabal in the outskirts of Srinagar city Dr Afzal Wani,Head Neurosurgery runs his private clinic from Natipora in Srinagar. Official sources say that Wani,however,has government permission for private practice. Dr Khurshid Alam,Head Department of Surgery is running his clinic from Buchpora in the city outskirts. Dr A G Ahanger,Head Cardiovascular thoracic surgery runs his private clinic at Tral on Sundays. Ahanger,however,doesn't take any money from the patients and serves all of them free of cost. Dr Altaf Shera,Prof and Head of Paediatric Surgery runs his clinic in old city. Dr Wajid Ali,Prof and Head Neonatology is practicing at Hawal. Head Radiology,Dr Tariq Gojwari runs Capital Care,his own diagnostic centre. Head Biochemistry,Dr Muzaffar Ahmad along with Dr Zaffar of Immunology department are running Biomedicare lab. Dr Saleem Wani,Associate Professor in Urology,is running private clinic at Qamarwari. Dr Altaf Shah,Associate Professor Gastroenterology runs his clinic at Bemina. Dr Gul Javeed,Prof Gastroenterology runs his private clinic at Court Road in Srinagar. Dr Rashid Reshi,Professor in Nephrology practices at Hazratbal. Dr Altaf Kirmani,Prof of Neurosurgery is running his clinic from Khanyar in old city. Dr Altaf Ramzan,Professor Neurosurgery is running private clinic at Sanatnagar. Dr Khurshid Banday of Nephrology is running private clinic from doctors' residential quarters in SKIMS. Dr Ghulam Nabi Dhobi,Additional Professor in General Medicine runs his clinic at Malabagh in city outskirts. Dr Sheikh Saleem,Additional Professor in Neurology practices at Habak in city suburbs. Dr A M Buhroo,Additional Professor in Physical Medicine runs his clinic at Bemina. Dr Rashid Khan of Biochemistry has a lab in Rambagh. Besides the senior faculty,there are a large number of doctors and the paramedics of the SKIMS hospital,who are involved in private practice in contravention to the J-K government ordinance banning the private practice.
