Srinagar, Sep 01 (KNB): The Jammu & Kashmir Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association has urged the public and social media users to exercise restraint and responsibility while sharing or commenting on allegations concerning hospitals and medical professionals.
The appeal came after the Association, through its President Mir Faizan, submitted a complaint to the Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone, regarding the circulation of what it described as “unverified, misleading and potentially defamatory” social media content concerning recent incidents involving Medlyn Hospital and Mid City Hospital, Anantnag.
The Association said it fully respects the right of patients and their families to raise genuine grievances and seek an impartial investigation into suspected cases of medical negligence.
It also expressed confidence in competent medical, statutory, police and judicial authorities to independently examine such allegations and establish the facts.
However, the Association cautioned against what it termed a growing tendency on social media to declare hospitals or doctors guilty of negligence before any competent authority has reached such a conclusion.
It said such posts could prejudice ongoing investigations and cause serious and unjustified reputational damage to healthcare institutions and medical professionals.
“Every medical complication is not necessarily negligence,” the Association said.
The Association further pointed out that medical treatment can involve complications, unforeseen outcomes and inherent risks even when appropriate medical protocols and accepted standards of care are followed.
“A poor or unexpected medical outcome, by itself, should not automatically be equated with medical negligence,” it said.
The Association said that at the time of surgery, doctors and hospital management remain deeply concerned about the well-being and recovery of patients, adding that negligent behaviour is the last thing any medical professional or hospital would want.
“No doctor or hospital owner wants their patient to die. Every doctor strives for the speedy recovery and well-being of the patient,” the Association said.
It further expressed concern over what it described as the tendency of some social media influencers and “pseudo journalists” to sensationalise allegations against doctors and hospitals for views, likes and comments.
The Association said that allegations involving doctors or hospitals often attract greater attention on social media, but stressed that such allegations should not be presented as established facts without proper verification and due process.
“To put things right, we have filed this complaint, followed by an FIR and a defamation suit against individuals involved in spreading fake news of negligence,” the Association said.
The Association urged patients and their families with genuine concerns to approach appropriate authorities and seek an impartial medical assessment rather than relying on social media narratives or unverified claims.
“A medical complication should not, without proper examination and evidence, be presumed to be negligence. Let the facts be established by competent authorities rather than by social media,” the Association said.
The Association has also requested the Cyber Police to examine the identified social media content, preserve relevant electronic evidence and identify those responsible for creating and circulating the material.
At the same time, the Association clarified that its complaint is not intended to obstruct genuine investigations, legitimate journalism or the right of patients and their families to raise legitimate concerns.
Its primary objection, it said, is to the practice of portraying allegations as established facts before competent authorities have completed their examination and reached a finding.(KNB)