A social media post by an AIIMS doctor in Delhi has gone viral because she wrote to a couple about an outpatient consultation she had with a couple.
The doctor, referred to as Dr. Jill Kar, described a woman who was badly injured by a spinal condition and was experiencing extreme pain as well as tingling and numbness in both legs. A woman who is now in a worsening medical condition was able to keep up household work and keep her children and in-laws going despite her condition, her doctor said.
The doctor wrote that she advised the woman to avoid physically demanding activities like bending repeatedly, sitting on the floor for extended periods and doing strenuous housework. She recommended medication, physiotherapy, back support and adequate rest, she said, and that if left unaddressed, the condition could worsen and may require surgery.
According to social media reports, the husband said that his wife would still have to carry out household work because their cooking stove was placed on the floor, so bending was inevitable.
The doctor claimed she suggested practical changes, including raising the stove to a higher level and making adjustments at home to reduce strain on the patient's back. But she claimed that the husband had asked her to “focus on medicines” instead of lifestyle changes.
In her post, the doctor expresses her disappointment that the husband would not care about his wife’s health. She also said she felt particularly helpless when she was explaining the prescribed medicines because the patient, who she claimed was not educated, relied solely on her husband to understand the treatment plan.
Indian misogyny cannot hide in the hospitals!
— Dr. Jill Kar (@jill_kar) June 30, 2026
One thing I’ve learnt from being a doctor in this country, is to choose my partner wisely.
Here’s a story.
Reflecting on the experience, the doctor counseled women to focus on their health and education, and aim to be financially and personally independent, she said, and work on becoming more educated and independent in their lives. She said such empowerment could in turn be very important in order for women to make informed decisions about their health care decisions.
The post has also been widely distributed on social media, with the social media users discussing domestic work in the family and the role of family support in illness. Others said spinal health is important, and shared household duties are best when a family member is ill.
But the details shared in the social media post have not been independently verified. Times Now, which reported on the viral post, said it could not confirm the authenticity of the claims or the circumstances described by the doctor.
The incident is not verified, but the discussion it has generated has increased the attention on women's health and treatment access and the necessity for the support of family caregiving.
