Medical Superintendent Flags “Acute Shortage” in Casualty, OT, Dialysis; Asks CMO Poonch to Immediately Recall Dr. Rizwana, Dr. Farhana, and Dr. Naveed from “Favoured” Attachments
- Medical Superintendent (MS) Raja Sukhdev Singh District Hospital Poonch has formally appealed to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Poonch to immediately detach and recall three Medical Officers (Dr. Rizwana Sharief, Dr. Farhana Kouser, Dr. Naveed Anjum Qureshi) from their current postings, citing an “acute shortage” of staff in critical areas like Casualty, Dialysis, and Post-Operative wards.
- The MS’s desperate plea (vide No. 2399-2402/RSS/DHP/2025 dated October 17, 2025) comes amidst the resignation of Dr. Tahir Mehmood and a severe staffing crisis, particularly impactful given the hospital’s notoriety for repeated medical negligence, including the recent deaths of young mothers Farzana Anjum, Asia Kousar, and Anjum Nisa, and allegations of a “medical mafia” operating with impunity.
- This stark revelation highlights a systemic issue of doctors enjoying “favoured destinations” through attachments while frontline services suffer, prompting urgent calls for the Chief Secretary and Commissioner Secretary Health to intervene, ensuring these and other such detached officers are returned to needy hospitals across the UT for public welfare.
HARPREET SINGH
Jammu, October 27, 2025:Â Amidst a raging public health crisis, a shocking series of maternal deaths, and persistent allegations of a “medical mafia” operating within its corridors, Raja Sukhdev Singh District Hospital Poonch is now officially bleeding doctors, forcing its Medical Superintendent (MS) to issue a desperate plea for the immediate recall of crucial staff from “favoured” attachments. The MS’s stark letter to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Poonch, detailing an “acute shortage” of Medical Officers in critical departments, has exposed a systemic flaw where essential medical personnel are enjoying convenient postings while frontline patient care suffers in a district already grappling with immense public distrust.
The formal request, vide No. 2399-2402/RSS/DHP/2025 dated October 17, 2025, from the Medical Superintendent, highlights the deteriorating staff situation at the district hospital. It explicitly states that Dr. Tahir Mehmood, a Medical Officer, submitted his resignation on October 14, 2025. This departure has exacerbated an already dire situation, creating an “acute shortage of Medical Officers in the Casualty wing, Dialysis section, and Post-Operative ward.” The letter further reveals that even Postgraduate Medical Officers, including Dr. Majid Ali Sarfraz (handling ENT OPD and emergencies) and Dr. Masheer Ul Haq and Dr. Sabha Mir (PG Radiology, managing the Radiology section), are currently stretched thin, struggling to cover the severe gaps.
The most damning revelation, however, is the list of Medical Officers currently attached away from the needy district hospital. The MS’s letter specifically names:
- Dr. Rizwana Sharief, Medical Officer, currently working in the office of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer in Poonch.
- Dr. Farhana Kouser, Medical Officer, attached to the District Tuberculosis Officer’s office in Poonch.
- Dr. Naveed Anjum Qureshi, Medical Officer, detailed to work at Sub-District Hospital in Mendhar.
The MS’s plea is clear: “Therefore, it is requested to your goodself, Dr. Rizwana, Dr. Farhana, and Dr. Naveed be detached from their current positions and directed to return to the District Hospital Poonch for the betterment of patient care and to ensure the smooth functioning of the hospital.” Copies of this crucial letter have also been marked to the Director of Health Services, Jammu, and the District Development Commissioner, Poonch, for their kind information.
This stark revelation of staff shortages due to attachments is particularly shocking given District Hospital Poonch’s recent notoriety. As Jammu Jottings has consistently reported, the hospital has been embroiled in a series of shocking medical negligence cases, including the deaths of young mothers Farzana Anjum (October 15, 2025), Asia Kousar (June 2, 2025), and Anjum Nisa (June 2025), all following childbirth. These tragedies have ignited widespread public outrage, with families alleging corruption, bribe demands (like the ₹50,000 allegedly sought from Farzana Anjum’s family), and a pervasive “medical mafia” operating with impunity. Internal inquiries into previous cases against doctors like Dr. Priyanka and Dr. Shehnaz remain unpublicized, further eroding public trust.
The sight of crucial Medical Officers enjoying seemingly comfortable attachments in administrative offices or other institutions, while the district hospital’s casualty, dialysis, and post-operative wards—lifelines for a border district—suffer from an “acute shortage,” paints a disturbing picture of administrative priorities. It raises fundamental questions: Why are these doctors attached when there is such a dire shortage at the District Hospital? Who authorized and who continues to sanction these attachments, effectively depriving a critical public hospital of its already limited human resources?
This pattern underscores a systemic issue across the Union Territory where medical professionals allegedly use influence to secure attachments to their favoured destinations, often administrative offices or less demanding roles, while primary and district hospitals struggle to provide essential services. The public is now demanding immediate intervention from the highest authorities. The Chief Secretary and the Commissioner Secretary Health are urged to take direct cognizance of this matter, not only ensuring the immediate detachment of Dr. Rizwana, Dr. Farhana, and Dr. Naveed back to District Hospital Poonch but also launching a comprehensive, UT-wide audit to identify and recall all such doctors enjoying unmerited attachments, ensuring that medical talent is deployed where it is most needed for the genuine welfare of the people.
