Srinagar MBBS student dies in Iran due to health complications, family alleges medical negligence

Her family has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to urgently bring back her mortal remains so that her last rites can be performed in Srinagar.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, requesting his intervention for the swift repatriation of her body and demanding an inquiry into allegations of medical negligence at the hospital in Iran.

In its letter, the JKSA National Convener, Nasir Khuehami, said that Saba’s friends and batchmates, who were present during her illness and at the hospital, have alleged that her death may have been the result of gross medical negligence.

Her friends claimed that an ambulance took three hours to reach her and, upon arrival at the hospital, she was allegedly made to wait for two hours before being given a bed. Despite her critical condition, she was reportedly kept only on normal saline for two days and given painkillers only when she complained of pain. "Friends allege that her vitals were not checked for an entire day and there was no regular monitoring,” the letter stated.

The Association said that after repeated requests to transfer her to the gastrointestinal ward, she was moved from the Emergency Ward to a corridor outside the gastrointestinal ward. Later, she was shifted to the International Patient Department (IPD), where her condition reportedly deteriorated further.

Following this, she developed seizures, her vitals became unstable, and she experienced tachycardia. She was then moved to the ICU. On the final day, she stopped speaking and kept her eyes closed. After she died, no medical reports were shared with them. 

The association has urged Indian authorities to take up the matter with Iran, ensure transparency in the investigation, and hold the hospital accountable if negligence is proven.

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