RAJOURI: As the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir bore the brunt of Pakistani troops’ artillery shelling after ‘Operation Sindoor’ was launched on May 7, the doctors at two government hospitals in the twin border districts remained at the frontline, attending to patients having splinter injuries and trauma cases.
“It was a war-like situation,” said Dr Amarjeet Singh Bhatia, Principal of Government Medical College and Associated Hospital, Rajouri. “There was fear all around as shells were landing close by. The shelling also took place in the area around the hospital and we could hear loud explosions in the hospital,” Dr Bhatia said.
Immediately after the shelling started, an emergency was declared in the hospital and all doctors, para medics and other staff were alerted to be present in the hospital. “None of us left the hospital for four days. We prepared the hospital basement for the staff and others, and everybody chipped in. The doctors did not follow roster duty but worked 24x7 during the four days of shelling and not a single doctor or paramedics left the hospital during those four days,” he said.
Thirty patients were brought to the hospital after the shelling. Of them, three including a top government official were declared brought dead while the 27 others were treated. “Three of the patients were very critical. But doctors performed multiple surgeries on them and kept them under observation and fortunately they are now stable and out of danger,” the principal said.
In Poonch district, worst hit by Pakistani shelling, the doctors at the District Hospital worked overtime to attend to the injured. The patients had started arriving in the hospital from 4 am on May 7, said Medical Officer Dr Rubina.
“The emergency rooms were flooded, beds were full, and critical supplies stretched thin, yet no patient was turned away. All doctors, paramedics and other staff in the hospital were attending to the injured patients and ensuring they get the best treatment,” the medical officer said. Not only Rubina but her husband, who is Medical Superintendent of the hospital, worked overtime to attend to the injured patients.