Jammu, December 01: Dr Martin H. Fischer, a famous German born American physician and author has said, “A doctor must work eighteen hours a day and seven days a week. If you cannot console yourself to this, get out of the profession”.
Fischer is most famous for his teachings on the art and practice of medicine, including the above quoted famed quotation often recited on the first day of medical school.
The above quote is still held in high reverence in America and other advanced countries but here in India it is just the reverse as most of the people here aspire to become doctors and then rue about the long working hours but at the same time refuse to get out of the profession.
Closer home, the health sector is in a bad shape from all angles in infrastructure, facilities and above all the attitude of the medical professionals particularly doctors who are supposed to be well read and cultured to deal with those who lay their lives in their hands.
It has been seen that the right attitude of the doctor towards his patient heals fifty percent of the disease and pain he suffers but then most of our doctors hardly remember the quotations and art of practicing they are taught in their college days.
Once out of college the arrogance creeps inside the mindsets of most of the doctors and it can be witnessed in regular scuffles in our hospitals between the doctors and the attendants of the patients.
One wonders what ails the relationship between a patient and the doctor as it should have been the most pious one with the doctor treating the diseases that has brought patient to the hospital bed. But then we more often hear the stories of scuffle than stories of attendants showering love and praise over the people who cure their loved ones.
An overview may point the finger of suspicion towards the frustrated attendants who throng the hospitals and want doctors to do miracles but the real situation is not that simple.
Have a chat with an attendant inside the hospital and he will tell you how frustrating it is to visit a government run hospital notwithstanding the sweeping changes brought about by the new Health Minister who is famous for his style of working.
The arrogant attitude of doctors and paramedical staff not only demoralizes the patients and attendants but also instigates many attendants to indulge in open brawls with the medical staff to vent their anger and frustration.
While the health minister has stressed on wearing the apron by the doctors and paramedical staff so that the doctors are quickly identified and work in a professional manner he must also stress on wearing the right attitude by the doctors would go a long way in reshaping the health sector the state.
The junior doctors are over stressed as they are made to work for more than twelve hours at a stretch while the senior doctors hardly attend the hospitals except a few hours of OPD or Operation theatre and a quick round of the wards to run back to their private clinics.
This results in burdening the junior doctors particularly interns and PGs so much that they themselves look like psychic patients rather than doctors.
Hence attitude they wear is not at all expected from a doctor and the arrogance that comes with it takes a toll on the patients and their attendants.
The patients and the attendants howsoever educated and mighty are treated as a herd of sheep by the doctors and asked to run helter skelter whenever a senior doctor is on a visit.
The senior doctors who act as dictators in the hospitals hardly bother that it should be the attendant who should be informed about the treatment and the follow up rather than the patient who is in pain but then who will bell the cat.
Most of the patients are clueless when the senior doctors round is over and attendants have to run after the junior doctors to tell them a fresh what has to be done, this further irritates the junior docs as it increases their work load further.
This attitude of the senior doctors is however reserved for the government run hospitals only as the same set of doctors inside their private clinics talk softly, friendly and explain in detail to two or even three accomplices of the patient to enhance their goodwill and the business.
The arrogant attitude is also adopted to force the patients to visit their private nursing homes where they can be fleeced by offering ‘room service’ at a price.
The new health minister from whom the common man has lot of hopes and expectations must focus on changing the attitude of the doctors and paramedical staff and ask them to wear the right attitude instead of their aprons if he really wants to revamp the health sector in the state. (Repeat)