AMKIL shares thoughts on moral obligations of doctors
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 24 2025: Rich and poor, all trust doctors to save lives.

They must not lose this trust and the respect people have for the noblest of the professions - as many as 17 organisations have said.

This was stated by All Manipur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL) president Lourembam Nganbi Leima, at the Manipur Press Club today, representing the organisations.

It came amid "controversial deaths" that have courted widespread criticisms and public anger against the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and led to the assault of a doctor following the death of a woman after giving birth to a child.

The RIMS Hospital, in recent weeks, has seen many deaths due to alleged negligence of doctors.

The deaths include a woman who died a day after giving birth and persons who came to treat their legs and hands, Nganbi said.

The death of a person who simply came to get her leg treated - while there may underlying conditions - bring to light alleged negligence and failure on the part of doctors to properly diagnose the aliment.

Such lapses are unacceptable, she said.

While condemning any assault on doctors, Nganbi, however, noted that most of the time public anger is caused by "unacceptable" behaviours and actions of doctors, nurses and staff of hospitals.

Had there been compassion, sincerity and genuine efforts in dealing with the patients and families, the unwanted incidents at RIMS may not have happened, she said.

The heads, Directors and Medical Superintendents of hospitals including RIMS' must take the responsibility to ensure good morale of their staff and ethical practices, and Government doctors must stop practising in private hospitals and clinics, Nganbi said.

People who come to seek medical treatment at RIMS and Government hospitals are often poor, and they trust the doctors in these hospitals to treat their ailment and save their lives, she said.

While treating patients, the doctors and the entire staff of the hospital must show compassion, she said.

The doctors must properly communicate with the patients and their families and diagnose the ailments, she added.

At RIMS and other hospitals except in private hospitals, senior doctors seem to leave the diagnosis and treatment to interns without their supervision, Nganbi said.

The senior doctors must not leave the diagnosis and treatment to the interns only.

They must get involved and supervise for proper diagnosis and right treatment.

This will help ease the concerns of patients and build trust of the patients and their families on the doctors and the hospitals, Nganbi said.

Deaths occur in all hospitals.

Delhi's famous AIIMS witnesses cases of deaths daily but the way patients are treated there is very different from here, she claimed.

Nganbi said, doctors shouldn't intimidate patients and their families, and the nurses too must act with compassion and understanding.

Any complaint against nurses for behaving badly against patients and families is not surprising, she added.

The Director and the Superintendent of RIMS and other hospitals must take the responsibility to teach moral ethics, proper behaviour to the doctors, nurses and other staff.

The entire staff of a hospital must be trained properly on how they should interact with patients and the latter's families and relatives.

The doctors, nurses and also the patients and their families must also have patience, she said.

The patients and their families and relatives must also act responsibly, and also refrain from resorting to violent means to register their anger, Nganbi asserted.

Meanwhile, doctors of Government hospitals should immediately stop practising in private hospitals and at home by selling tickets, Nganbi said.

While doctors may help treat people at home, they shouldn't do so by way of selling tickets.

The Government doctors practising in private hospitals, clinics and at home may cause them to take little interest in the actual work-place where they are employed, she said.

It is general knowledge that there are Government hospital doctors who advise patients to be treated at private clinics and hospitals where they work.

Such practices undermine the performance, effectiveness of the Government hospital and affect the entire healthcare system, Nganbi said.

She added, the civil organisations will monitor such practices and take strict actions.

A doctor must remain a doctor.

They must try at their level best to save lives without discrimination.

The people trust and respect doctors of their noble profession.

The people depend on them to save lives.

They must not lose this respect and trust of the people, she added.

The 17 organisations include AMKIL, UPF, NIPCO, NLANL, NIMPAL, ANUL, Thoubal Ima, Nupi Sarnaj, Tammi-Chingmi, AMPHM, CADA, MP Council, Ichal, Macha Leima and Lups of Phouoibi and Paona Keithel.

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