Srinagar, Nov 24 (KDC): Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura has issued an order directing special assistance for patients referred from the offices of the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister and Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Office Order No. SIMS 359 (P) of 2025, dated November 21, Dr. Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Professor in the Department of General Medicine, has been assigned the role of facilitating what the institute describes as “hustle-free treatment” for such patients.
The directive, issued by SKIMS Director Prof. Mohd. Ashraf Ganie, according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC), states that the arrangement is in continuation of an earlier order from July this year. It further instructs that Dr. Qazi Mudasir Javeid, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon at the Skill Development Centre and Veterinary Lab at SKIMS, will assist Dr. Bhat for the purpose.
The order has triggered discussion within medical and administrative circles, with some terming it an institutional acknowledgment of a long-existing informal practice of prioritised attention for VIP-linked referrals. Others argue that the move could raise questions about equity in public healthcare access, particularly at a premier tertiary-care institution that witnesses heavy daily patient load.
Copies of the order have been circulated to the medical superintendent, dean of medical faculty, all heads of departments, and administrative units for implementation and record. (KDC)
