ibn sultan
Srinagar, Nov 25: Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday strongly criticised an order purportedly issued by the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), alleging that it mandates special treatment for guests of VIPs, calling the directive an “affront to medical science.”
In a post on social media, Lone said the order—issued by Jammu & Kashmir’s premier tertiary care institution—details preferential facilitation for patients referred from the offices of the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Secretary.
“If this order has actually been issued, this represents a new low,” Lone wrote, warning that such directives undermine the foundational ethics of the medical profession. “In a profession as noble as medicine, guests of VIPs will invariably be given preference over patients who deserve preference on medical grounds.”
Lone also questioned the inclusion of a veterinary assistant surgeon in the order, asking what role he could possibly play in treating human patients. “Who is he supposed to treat amongst the patients referred by the VIPs?” he asked sarcastically.
The SKIMS order, dated 21 November 2025, assigns Dr. Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Professor, General Medicine, to “facilitate patients” from top government offices, with Dr. Qazi Mudasir Javeid, a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon at the Skill Development Centre/Vet Lab SKIMS, designated to assist him.
Terming the directive “humiliating to the science of medicine,” Lone urged the SKIMS Director to withdraw it immediately. “Stop humiliating the noble profession,” he said.
The institute has not yet issued an official clarification on the document circulating online.
