Woman Times Desk, 16th June 2019 – A 75 year old man fell of the staircase at a mosque and was admitted at NRS Medical College and Hospital for treatment but he succumbed to his medical conditions and thus triggered the nation-wide protests of the doctors. The protest was in the wake of the physical assault carried out by the relatives of the deceased person. Two interns – Paribaha Mukopadhyay and Yash Tekwani were seriously injured among many other medicos who suffered minor injuries.
The relatives of the deceased has allegedly accused that few doctors have assaulted them. According to them it was a two way triggered cacophony that have resulted in this chaotic condition.
Dr Pranoy Roy, an NRSMCH Internship pass out says, “The enthusiasm and zeal to treat patients will be the same. This is totally a non-political movement that we are carrying out. This protest is only against the 5% to 10% hooligans who violently threat the doctors challenging their duties.”
However, the doctors have unitedly stand against the violence towards the doctors that are heard now and then in various parts of the country. But let us understand the underlying problems that have brought down the relationship between doctors and patients.
Dr. Sanchari Paul, House staff in the department of Cardiac & Anesthesia at NRSMCH, says, “On 10th June 2019 10 junior doctors of our Hospital were attacked by a patient party of which 2 doctors are seriously injured. It was impossible to continue services under such threat. When a doctor treats he or she needs a peaceful environment to work. Hence, this protest is to secure the medical personnels’ life to be able to provide better and proper treatment. Nation-wide doctors have joined hands to protest against the violence meted out to the doctors.”
When Woman Times representative asked Dr. Paul about the non-availability of medical services she vehemently protests and said, “We have not denied our duties as the essential medical services are being provided like delivery, cornea operation and other emergency services.”
The difference between the political ideology and the lack of security of the doctors have spread its wings across the nation and also across the globe. The World Medical Association has passed a resolution against violence on healthcare centres and called for bringing strong legislation. The apex medical body of India Indian Medical Association has condemned the violence against doctors or any medical staffs of the hospital.
In India statistically the doctor patient ratio stands 1:1000 and doctors serving in Government Hospitals are less in numbers as required. The commercialisation of medical services have brought down the trust factor in patients where money plays a pivotal role in determining quality treatment. Further, when a patient is shifted to a hospital very less Government hospitals have proper Public Relation Officers to liason between patients and the doctors. It is high time that the Government realise that free services to the poor needs a proper hospital infrastructure, recruiting PROs and engaging more doctors in numbers to lessen the pressure on them.
“This is a long hidden pressure and non-safety environment that the doctors have to cope up with. Junior doctors are the backbones of the medical devices. When the Junior doctor was being physically assaulted nobody came forward to help him. Doctors are bound to serve the rural areas for certain years but no other profession has the same compulsions. Hence, if doctors are not safe how can they provide services to others? ” asks Dr. Bhaskar Ganguly, ADMO, Indian Railway Medical Service, Mumbai.
Everyone must understand that for everything there is law and taking law in yours hands is a punishable offence.
Dr. Debasish Mukherjee, HOD of the ENT department in Nightingale Hospital, ” As a Doctor I condemn the attack on the doctors. The main reason behind the degradation of the patient doctor relationship is the rapid commercialisation of the hospitals. In the Government hospitals the key factor is that the Government promises to give free treatment but to give services there is no adequate equipments and both medicos and non-medicos staffs are very less. This pressurises the doctors to perform under severe conditions which degrades the quality.”
The Junior doctors have decided to go for a talk with the CM before they resume their duties, though they were offended by the unrealistic statements given by the state head. Under the Essential Service Maintenance Act, the doctors can not go on strikes but according to them they had been doing the duties towards the patients with emergency need of medical service.
The strike will end and a solution may peep up but the whole system needs a change for the smooth functioning of the medical services by both medicos and non-medicos. The Government as well as common people along with the doctors should stand to create an amicable environment to give and receive treatments thereby making a better society for everyone. The free services must also have equivalent backup of staffs so lessen the burden and the doctors must also understand the psyche of a patient party. Creating violence is never a solution hence join hands to make a better health system in our country.
