BMO Bandipora self-isolates himself as he ferries coronavirus patient in his personal car

Srinagar: Block Medical Officer (BMO) Bandipora Dr Asif Khan has put himself in self-isolation after ferrying a coronavirus positive patient in his personal vehicle from GMC Baramulla to a quarantine center in Bandipora.

According to sources, Dr Khan shifted the 30-year-old patient, whose samples tested positive for novel coronavirus at SKIMS Soura today, from Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla to the quarantine center in Bandipora on the instructions of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Bandipora Dr Tajamul.

“Dr Asif was instructed by the CMO to shift the patient from Baramulla to Bandipora as the patient belongs to that district. But the officials didn’t follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) for transporting patients in this process,” said an official.

He said the CMO should have sent a trained medical team, wearing proper protective gear, in an ambulance to ferry the patient.

“He has put the life of the BMO at risk and that of his contacts, including hundreds of patients and employees,” the official said.

The BMO confirmed to Kashmir Reader that he ferried the patient in his personal vehicle. However, he said, the patient’s test report was yet to come and he was showing “no coronavirus symptom” when he took him to Bandipora.

“He was having no symptoms of COVID 19 so we thought to shift him in my car. I was also wearing proper gear to protect myself. Still, I have decided to self-isolate myself,” Dr Asif Khan said.

CMO Bandipora Dr Tajamul did not respond to phone calls from this correspondent.

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Shahbaz Mirza has ordered a probe into the “negligence” and said that the involved persons will be booked.

“We are verifying the negligence part. If anyone will be found guilty, he will be dealt with strictly,” Mirza said.