Doctors: Working for money or to save life ?

ZK Pahru Pou *

One of the most honourable professions in the world to be chosen is to be a medical doctor. They are the ones who save life. They bring back life to millions of sick people in the world. By so doing they became the hope and comforter of millions. They sacrifice their life for others.

Young and old put their trust on doctors to keep them hale, hearty and healthy. Everyone respects them. They make life possible to continue in the face of epidemic and endemic diseases. They make life beautiful and give meaning to life. They make people happy. We must recognise their contribution to society and work together with them to save life.

However, today, it is unfortunate that many doctors do not take up their duty seriously. Many doctors who are posted in remote villages are not willing to stay and work for the concerned villagers. They live in big towns and cities with their families. While they have big concern for themselves and family members, they do not have much concern for the wellbeing of the villagers. They visit their posting places/villages only from time to time to give their signature.

There are some doctors who are alcoholics. This is very dangerous because such doctors may not be able to diagnose the sickness correctly and may prescribe wrong medicine leading to fatal condition of a patient. Drinking wine and saving life cannot go together. The concerned authority needs to take stern action against such erring doctors in our land. It is very difficult to meet doctors at appointed time in government hospitals whereas in private clinics, they are available most of the time.

It appears that many doctors do not want to treat the seriously sick persons in government run hospitals for the reason best known to them. Seriously sick people were sent to private hospital to be treated by the same doctors who sent them from government hospitals.

Once a patient landed in private hospitals, doctors get more money but the patient's expenses increases considerably high. Most of the doctors have their own clinic and they spent much of their time working in their clinic rather than staying in their posted-government-hospital. Many doctors behave roughly in dealings with patients.

Soft spoken words can cure many sicknesses even before giving medicine/treatment. Building trust with patient is a sure way of curing the disease. Psychological comfort can give enormous strength to patient's health condition. Some doctors are so careless in treating the patients especially during operation that cause to the loss of life. Those who are rich and can pay more money gets proper treatment but poor people are always at the receiving end.

Corruption is so rampant in our society that it has penetrated even into the fraternity of medical doctors. If we go to private clinic, we are charged from Rs.200 and above as consultation fee. The time of check-up is usually finished within 5 to 10 minutes. Compare this amount (consultation fee) with that of a farmer who struggles the whole day but earns between Rs.150 and Rs.200.

It's surprising to note here that 10 minutes' earning of a doctor is equivalent to 8 hours' earnings of a farmer in a day! Unimaginable! Unfair! Also Doctors get handsome salary from government apart from private earnings. The earnings of many doctors are beyond reasonable measure/limit. Hardly have we seen a patient bargaining for the price of medicine or consultation fees. Can we say that this kind of accumulation of wealth is the extortion of money from the patients? It appears that many of today's youngsters join MBBS (to become Doctors) primarily for earning money and not for saving life.

The ethos of saving life as a primary duty of a doctor is slowly vanishing. There are many cases where Doctors have mishandled their patients especially women. Sexual harassments are reported from many parts of India. There are reports of rape cases by doctors of their patients after making them unconscious by giving intoxicant drugs.

There are also many instances where doctors experiment with new medicine from patient without their knowledge. This is unethical and callous practice. When we get sick, we are completely at the mercy of doctors. Whatever doctors tell us, we obey. Taking advantage of the helpless condition of the patients, many doctors are misusing their patients' bodies. This is not the way how a God fearing doctor should be.

Doctors need to possess good moral life. They need to understand that they are co-workers with God in saving life. Everyone (may be high or low in status, literate or illiterate, rich or poor) should be treated with care and everyone's dignity respected. Be happy when you save a life and not when you get huge amount of money from patients.

It is of utmost importance that our medical doctors remain truthful to their vocation of saving life. More than anyone else doctors need God's knowledge and God's guiding hand in saving human life.

Pray and work with God.