SKIMS issue clarification over a video gone viral on social media

Srinagar: SKIMS soura today issued a clarification regarding a video gone viral yesterday on social media.

In a statement to media, The authorities of SKIMS said that T
This is in reference to the video which had become viral regarding death of one patient Makhdoomi Afroza on 15th July at SKIMS. It had been alleged that institute did not provide coffin and ambulance for carrying dead body.

To clarify the situation it is to state that mandate of SKIMS is to treat patients and give their best to attain desired results. SKIMS receives critically sick patients from all over the valley and whole UT including Ladakh.

The statement further states that but unfortunately if some COVID-19 patients expire, the dead body is handed over to District Administration or Health Authorities of District so that the protocol is adhered to. Same has been followed since March 2020 when covid patients surfaced.

SKIMS despatches dead bodies against proper receipt record of which is maintained in control room SKIMS. When the patient in question expired same was conveyed to District Admnistration and Health authorities by control room SKIMS, Nodal officer as well as Medical Superintendent. Delay in receiving team from concerned officials created anxiety among patient attendants when SHO Police Station Soura was contacted to receive deadbody from SKIMS and SKIMS would be providing ambulance in violation of established norms to tide over the crisis. It was then when attendants started demanding coffin and four personnel for carrying out burial.

Here it needs to be made clear that coffin is nowhere in the protocol for handling COVID-19 dead bodies as laid down by ICMR instead the dead body has to be put in designated bodybag and outer surface of bodybag decontaminated by sodium hypochlorite.

SKIMS did away with providing coffin because it is not a part of protocol and that it would require more people to handle deadbody which is again against protocol.  Providing people for burial is not mandate of SKIMS.(GNS)