KULLU, JULY 2: The Regional Hospital in Kullu has virtually turned into a protest venue and political battleground.
What began as a protest over the death of an expectant mother has snowballed into a full-blown political and healthcare crisis
As the state government struggles to regain control of the narrative, patients continue to bear the brunt of the turmoil.
The protest intensified after local residents launched an indefinite hunger strike outside the hospital.
The agitation gained further momentum when Kullu Congress MLA Sunder Thakur made remarks to the media recalling that a similar maternal death had occurred at the same hospital in 2018. He said he had then led a 53-day-long protest, comments that many interpreted as acknowledging that public protests over such incidents were justified.
The Congress MLA's statement added a political twist to the controversy. Sunder Thakur also told the media that a doctor and two nurses on duty were suspended only after he personally took up the matter with Chief Minister .
His remarks came while former Manali BJP MLA and other BJP leaders were sitting alongside the protesters, further intensifying the political overtones of the agitation.
Earlier leader of Opposition Jai Ram had sought SIT probing the death of the patient.
At the heart of the controversy is the death of Anu Sharma. She had been admitted to the Regional Hospital for delivery.
According to her family and those present, she writhed in severe labour pain while attendants repeatedly cried out for medical assistance.
They allege that doctors and nurses on duty failed to respond with the urgency the situation demanded. Although she delivered her baby, Anu Sharma died during the process, triggering widespread anger and demands for accountability.
Doctors, however, have pushed back strongly against allegations of negligence. The doctors, along with nursing staff, have accused the administration of forcing them to work under extreme pressure in an understaffed hospital struggling to cope with a heavy patient load.
They have also demanded legal action against protesters, alleging intimidation, security breaches and disruption of hospital services hurling abuses at them inside the hospital without any security.
The controversy has now raised larger questions about patient safety and the state's healthcare system.
The State Allied and Medical Consultants and Doctors Organisation (SAMDCOT) has demanded a scientific and independent investigation into the exact cause of Anu Sharma's death.
The organisation said the probe should establish whether systemic deficiencies, clinical complications or any lapse in medical care contributed to the tragedy, noting that similar patient deaths have occurred in the past and deserve objective examination.
With both sides hardening their positions, the government finds itself under increasing pressure.
The suspension of medical personnel has failed to calm public anger, while doctors insist they are being made scapegoats for long-standing shortages of manpower and infrastructure.
As protests continue and political parties trade charges, the Regional Hospital has become a symbol of a deeper crisis where governance, healthcare and public trust have all come under scrutiny.
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