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Srinagar: Former BOPEE chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Peer was released on parole following directions by a High Powered Committee, constituted by the government in compliance with the directions by the Supreme Court to decongest jails amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Highly reliable sources told GNS that the Peer had filed an online application and his release comes a week after high court had asked him to approach the committee.

“It would be appropriate for applicant/appellant (peer) to avail the remedy by approaching the High Powered Committee. In the event, applicant approaches the High Powered Committee, it shall consider and decide the application of applicant in accordance with the scheme/guidelines, laying down the categories for release of prisoners given the spread of COVID 19,” a bench of Justice Tashi Rabstan had said last week.

In April 2018, a special anti-corruption court sentenced Peer to a total of 16 years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in the 2012 Common Entrance Test (CET) scam.

The court had also imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Peer and Rs 50 lakh on another accused, Sajad Ahmad Bhat, who was acting as a broker in the scam.

The court had sentenced Peer to seven years of rigorous imprisonment under section 420 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), five years of imprisonment under section 5 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, three years of imprisonment under section 409 of the RPC and one year of imprisonment under section 120B of the RPC. It has ordered that all the sentences would run “consecutively”.
The court had convicted 43 accused, including Peer, in the case, while it acquitted seven others.

In its 382-page order, the court had said, “Mushtaq Peer, being at the helm of affairs as chairman of the board, occupied the top position, which he had abused to the fullest by orchestrating the criminal conspiracy for putting on sale the question papers, the secrecy of which he was under obligation to maintain.

“This dastardly crime is his brainchild and it would not have been possible for others to have even a glimpse of the question papers had he not defied the state….”

It had observed that scams like these contributed to the large-scale brain drain from the state and other law-and-order problems and said, “Therefore, this accused deserves no leniency at all.”

Peer was arrested on November 23, 2014, by the Crime Branch. During the investigation, it had come to light that Peer, in connivance with the other accused, had sold the CET 2012 examination papers, along with the answer keys, to some candidates for Rs 60 lakh. (GNS)

Srinagar: The ten year old boy, who tested positive for coronavirus at SKIMS hospital here in Srinagar on 31 March, was declared negative by the Hospital authorities on Wednesday, the family informed KINS.

Confirming the development, his Father said that he was told by the hospital authorities that the final test report of his child has been found to be negative. “Today everyone was relieved in our family when his test reports came out to be negative.” he said.

“The doctors will take a call whether he will continue to be in isolation ward as precautionary measures or will be put in quarantine” he added.
Medical superintendent SKIMS Dr Farooq Jan also confirmed KINS that the boy has been tested negative.

His all family members were already tested negative at SKIMS. He said that his sample was also retested yesterday which also came to be negative again.

According to the father of the boy, a Jamaat member in Srinagar had hugged his son on March 21.

“My son for at least a week had shown no symptoms. Then suddenly he complained of high fever on March 28 and accordingly he was admitted in SKIMS where his test was reported positive for coronavirus,” he had told KINS.

‘Ours is a noble profession, we don’t need anyone’s appreciation certificate’, say Kashmiri nurses who fight valiantly against COVID-19

Srinagar: “We work day and night. We spent hours with patients unlike doctors who come once for a round. We are never being appreciated by authorities unlike doctors,” says a nurse, who is working in one of the associated hospitals of Government Medical College Srinagar.

She was referring to a tweet by Principal GMC Srinagar, where she has appreciated doctors’ work in dealing with COVID-19.
But nurses are also on the forefront and spend hours in wards unmindful of their health.

“SMHS hospital is on the forefront, bearing all the burden of possible covid cases and the residents at the hospital are constantly exposed to the virus. They are doing a commendable job in isolating suspects and taking care of all other non-covid patients. My gratitude to them,” the Principal GMC said in a tweet.

In another tweet she said, “Thanks to our staff especially microbiology department and the lab personnel dealing with the live virus. Doctors of CD hospital and all my residents in different associated hospitals who are exposed to the virus deserve commendation and kudos as well as prayers.”

Her tweet was widely liked by doctors.

However, the nurse says there is a “step motherly” treatment towards nursing profession. “Ours is a noble profession and we are proud of that. Tell patients who is taking care of them day and night,” asked the nurse.
She told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that nurses are unmindful of their health and are not being properly protected.

“Five nurses have to share one small room in the ward. We have to share washroom with attendants. Our role is as important as doctors but we are not provided proper accommodation,” she added.

Seconding her, another nurse told KINS that they were not being properly treated. “Some think doctors are from well-off families and they only deserve respect. One should sincere in his approach and Allah can reward him,” he said.

Another nurse said nobody was renting them accommodation. “We are facing social stigma. People prefer to stay away from us. Nobody wants us to enter their homes saying they may get infected. Even our families are telling us to stay at hospital that we may bring home coronavirus,” the nurse added.

Parven Khan, president of the nurses association Kashmir, said government needs to protect nurses who work for 24×7 in hospitals.

“Ours is a noble profession and we are proud of that. Whether anybody appreciates our work or not, does not matter for us,” she told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS). She also said nurses were not being given proper accommodation.

Principal GMC Srinagar Dr Samia has said that those need accommodation should approach to concerned authorities.(KINS)

Srinagar: In a significant development, Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to receive the fresh consignment of 400 ventilators to overcome the shortfall and to meet any emergency due the Covid-19 pandemic while as global shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) continues to persist, KINS has learnt.
A top official here in the Jammu and Kashmir government told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that J&K government will receive its first consignment of 400 ventilators.

“The new consignment will help the J&K government to overcome the shortage of ventilators in Covid designated hospitals in J&K,” the officials said.

One of the officials here in Medical college Srinagar told KINS that they were expecting one batch of ventilators Thursday. “Yes we have been told that one batch of ventilators for Kashmir hospitals will reach Srinagar Thursday,” the official claimed.

He said that even though Covid-19 has not taken an ugly turn in J&K,especially in Kashmir where cases are more, but ventilators will remain as a backup for the government to meet any emergency as next two weeks are crucial.
“Next two weeks will decide whether the virus has entered into the community,” said the official.

As per sources, J&K was facing acute shortage of ventilators as only 209 ventilators were available in the hospitals across J&K, which is too less. Many doctors had expressed their concern on the social media about shortage of ventilators when Covid-cases starting rising in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley.

A doctor wrote on his Facebook page: “We have only 200 plus ventilators in Kashmir hospitals which are too less and the number of PPE is also very less. If supplies won’t reach on time, doctors would die in hospitals and there will be none to look after patients.”

Interestingly, NGO Athrout had claimed to have donated some eight portable ventilators to Chest Diseases hospital Dalgate, but according to the NGO all eight were returned by the hospital authorities on the next day.
However the Medical superintendent chest Disease hospital told KINS that the NGO had not approached the hospital authorities.

A senior doctor at SKIMS said that there is obviously a shortfall of ventilators in the Kashmir hospitals. “If pandemic takes an ugly turn it would be difficult for us to handle the patients who need ventilator support? But thank God so far, none of the patients was put on the ventilator in SKIMS,” he said, adding if the supplies of 400 ventilators would reach J&K, that would be an added advantage and help if God forbid situation worsens.

Another doctor at SMHS hospital said 78 per cent patients having Covid-19 infection were asymptomatic and none had a breathing problem to an extent where doctors would have planned ventilator for them in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs). “But this doesn’t mean we don’t need more ventilators,” he said.

Sources in the health department said that Kashmir hospitals also face shortage of PPEs and whatever kits are available, they are being used judiciously by the doctors. “There is a global shortage of PPEs. We can’t blame Government of India for this. We have received supply of PPEs and at present doctors are using them very judiciously,” they said. (KINS)

Srinagar: Four Covid-19 patients including a 10 year old boy from Srinagar were discharged from SKIMS, Srinagar after recovering from lethal infection.“10 year old boy who was tested positive for the Covid-19 infection a couple of weeks ago is stable and has recovered fully. He has been discharged from the hospital today and besides him 3 more patients who also recovered from this disease were discharged,” Nodaofficer for Coronavirus at SKIMS, Dr Ghulam Hasan Itoo told KNT.

This 10 year old boy from Rathpora Eidgah had been tested positive after he came into contact with a Tableegi Jamat member in a local mosque.

“We had collected his samples repeatedly and thankfully, his reconfirmation test was found out negative once again,” he said adding that the boy has been handed over to family and he is fine.

Munir Ahmed, the father of the boy told KNT that he was informed by the doctors that his son has recovered and tested negative. “We are relieved and thankful to Almighty,” he said.

In Eidgah locality, three patients have been tested positive for Covid-19 infection so for.

Dr Itoo said that among the four patients who were discharged from the hospital, two are from Bandipora and one from Budgam. (KNT)

Kangan: A Kangan family was quarantined for two weeks today after some of their relatives from Bandipora’s red zone visited them.

Reports said that three persons from an area in Bandipora that authorities have declared a red zone visited a family in Sidra Cherwan area of Kangan town here in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

As the news spread in the area, that people hailing from a red zone are present in a house, the trio were immediately sent back to Bandipora while all the 9 members of the family were quarantined.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kangan Hakim Tanvir told KNT that they don’t want to take any chance and thus quarantined the whole family for 14 days. “Their samples will be taken and till the reports arrive, they will stay in quarantine,” the SDM said. (KNT)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 22 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, eighteen of them in Kashmir and four in Jammu. The total number of COVID-19 patients in the J&K now nears 300-mark.

Officials sources told GNS that fifteen of these were confirmed in SKIMS, three in CD hospital lab and four in Jammu. (GNS)

Fear is a potentially dangerous driver of behavior that can prolong or hasten the spread of disease. Fear can do more harm than the virus itself,”

Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday said good communication is crucial to defeat the novel (new) coronavirus.
“The consequences of an outbreak depends on the effectiveness of communication,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“During an unfamiliar public health emergency, anxiety is a normal human reaction to the fear of unknown. Fear is a potentially dangerous driver of behavior that can prolong or hasten the spread of disease. Fear can do more harm than the virus itself,” he said.

Dr Nisar said beyond the facts and figures, in a health crisis communicators need to be sensitive to people’s fears and worries on a human, emotional level.

“Communicators need to show empathy and care while communicating that builds trust which improves willingness of people to comply with the recommended measures,” he said.

“They have to help people understand what is about to unfold keeping it simple and communicating what people need to know,” he added.
Dr Nisar said it is important to recognize that what is communicated is just as important as how it is communicated.

“Clinicians must understand that many words that seem perfectly normal to them are incomprehensible jargon to a lay audience,” he said.
“It has been observed that clinicians provide mixed messages about the level of the threat virus poses which creates confusion among people and breeds distrust,” he added.

Dr Nisar said when the communication is done well, it helps in quelling people’s worries and fears.
“If it is done poorly, people will not absorb the information they need,” he said.

Dr Nisar said communication expertise is essential to outbreak control, and effective communication is an intervention in its own right.
“It is important to realize to include communication experts in the pandemic management team and they should be doing most of the talking,” he said.

“A 2019 study found that audiences felt reduced anxiety, increased sense of control and greater trust in public agencies in response to messages delivered by officials who were trained in communication skills,” said Dr Nisar.

Srinagar: Recovered Coronavirus patients in Kashmir say that more than medicines, it was the human touch of the doctors and the paramedic staff that saved them and helped them see through this crisis phase.

On Tuesday, 13 Covid-19 patients were discharged from the hospital after testing negative for the dreaded virus. The doctors and the paramedic staff applauded them as they walked out of a Srinagar hospital after two weeks.

“It is a moment of great happiness. I want to thank the doctors and the staff of CD Hospital… I am very happy with their behaviour. We will never forget the way they treated us. We were healed 50 per cent by their kind behaviour and 50 per cent by medicines. I feel better and normal now,” said a recovered patient.

“We have no words to describe how well we were treated on the way to our recovery. God has been kind, and the medical staff worked very hard for us. God has given us a new life,” said another recovered patient.

The cured patients have now gone into home quarantine and will remain under close surveillance. The doctors said that they will be tested again after one month.

“My message to general masses is that please don”t ostracise them. They shouldn”t be treated as untouchables, they don”t have any disease. They are part of us. Anyone of us can get this illness, so please respect their privacy,” said Samia Rashid, Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar.

The recovered patients have also given their consent for plasma therapy needed for any future Covid-19 cases.

“All these patients have given their consent for plasma therapy if there are further complicated cases, which is a good gesture on their part. It will help in future Covid-19 cases,” said pulmonologist Naveed Nazir Shah.

Earlier this week, two minor siblings aged five and seven years, who had tested positive for the disease, had recovered and were discharged from the JLNM Hospital in Srinagar.

“They were admitted on March 25, moments after their reports returned positive. All of us were in tears. Actually, I am in this hospital from March 25. I only go home to change my clothes,” said Bilquies Shah, the nodal officer of JLNM Hospital.

Clearly it is a moment of joy for the recovered persons, and credit must be given to the untiring efforts of the medical personnel. (IANS)