Some time back I came across a news item in Greater Kashmir: ‘Doctors perform unnecessary cesarean deliveries for financial gains’ a statement by DAK president. The statement instigated a blizzard inside me. I too am a witness to some unfortunate incidents which could have been handled more proficiently and decently if the doctors would have behaved in the way their position and profession demands. Antecedently, I recall a famous interview of a journalist, newspaper columnist and a TV news analyst Hassan Nisar. He was once asked, “how can west wrestle with the civilization, the culture we (east) carry” to which he contradicted and rebutted fiercely, “tum kis tehzeeb ki baat karte ho jahan doctors hartal pe jatein hain!” The essence and the gravity of such a small sentence I was able to realize when a young man in our locality met with a heart attack and had tested Trop T positive at the district hospital was denied treatment by the doctors at the state’s best hospital SMHS saying that, ” we are on a strike”. The patient was then taken to SKIMS where he died waiting for the Covid 19 test which came negative after his death. The poor man who was very much young died at the age of 49 as a result of following the protocol, which reminds me the famous dialogue of the blockbuster movie Munabhai MBBS, “agar patient bechara mar raha hai to form barna kya zaroori hai”.
Another awful incident happened with the relatives of a friend, who had brought their pregnant daughter to district hospital for the delivery. The doctor on duty pronounced utter reluctance to go for the procedure saying her blood pressure is high and it is not feasible unless the blood pressure comes to normal, and referred the patient to Srinagar. While completing the formalities somebody suggested them to go to a nearby private hospital. They booked a taxi to go there, the doctor who was reluctant to do the cesarean calling it as a big risk. They boarded the same taxi and did the operation at the nursing home and there everything was fine and done smoothly. The latest appalling incident I would like to share here happened with one of my close relatives who also had a heart attack. We took him to the district hospital where the doctor was good and intelligent who thrombolysed (the first aid given for a heart attack) the patient in spite of the fact that Trop T test came as negative. I overheard the doctor saying, “We should always over estimate such condition of a patient”. The doctor was nice and kind. He took the case seriously and instead of sending us home referred the patient to SMHS at about 11 PM in the night. At SMHS the patient was kept under observation for the night and the next day was shifted to the Super Speciality Hospital Shireen Bagh, where he was admitted and was prescribed for angiography. One fine morning a team of doctors came and discharged him directing us to get the patient after a week for the test; we pleaded them to go for the test which they refused in an absolute totalitarian manner and attitude. We brought him home and just within twenty four hours he met with another attack. We rushed him to the hospital where he was treated and only after our request they allowed him stay for the night. Till then we had come through proper channel but the next day we called a family friend who occupies an administrative chair in the hospital and within minutes (and to our utter surprise and shock) our patient became a serious case, a team of doctors arrived and directed the paramedical staff to take the patient to the theater on priority and within an hour angiography was done and a stent was installed. Now the million dollar question is; had we not used the influence what would have been the fate of the patient (presuming the fact that no one but the Almighty alone has the control on life and death)?
Now the question arises on our societal structure in general and the level of our elite in particular. Why we need influence even in the hospitals? Why our doctors behave politely at their clinics and rude in hospitals? This particular field I have taken as a sample because it touches everybody’s skin. A few points which instantly strike my mind as a cause for degradation are enunciated as:
- We lack proper orientation.
- We lack passion for philanthropy, emancipation.
- We have commercialized education.
- We have obsessed by materialism.
- We have failed to inspire our students.
When Socrates was given hemlock, his followers/students were struggling to maintain their composure. They broke down and it was Socrates who exhorted them to be brave as he was going to die, but even after taking the poison Socrates got up and said, “let’s not waste our time let’s discuss”. Shams Tabrizi travelled throughout the Middle East looking for a student who can inherit the knowledge and wisdom from him.
Now the natural questions should be asked to ourselves, are we blessed with the same passion for teaching? Do we (as teachers) have the potential and distinction to carry forward the legacy? As per my own understanding and experience the situation is deteriorating every passing day, we as present day teachers are not very special to perform the enterprise. I conjuncture that we have joined this profession just to earn our livelihood and as a result we have commercialized our profession. In such a situation, how can we inspire our students. We instead produce doctors like as explained. When a student has to shell out a hefty amount to become a doctor, how can we expect from him to be a philanthropist and render his services for free. Inspiration is a tall order, we are unable to give them proper orientation.