If you attack a doctor, you may be imprisoned up to 3 years. One’s immediate reaction could be “That’s fine. Whether you are free to attack or beat the other Government officers like Tahsildar, Veterinary Doctor, Revenue supervisor, B D O. or any other officer or member of the staff? Next question comes any erring person, irrespective of any rank and position must be taken to task. Unfortunately this is not the position in our country.
I recall an incident of my life and wish to share with you. I was 57 years old, a retired steel plant officer. I certainly claim I was cool enough with respect to my age, worldly experiences and social status. The 6 year old son of my farm associate was beaten by a poisonous snake. Some how, I was intimated. I told my man to get the child to the hospital. My neighbor and the father of the child hold the boy between them and reached the Government hospital at about 6.30 AM .
I searched for the doctor. A staff told me that the doctor is taking rest in the doctor’s duty room. I told him to call the doctor immediately because a serious patient has come. The man was reluctant because the doctor had advised him not to disturb him or allow any body to disturb him. I entered the room where the doctor was sleeping under a mosquito net and a mosquito repellant agarbati was burning below the cot. I wished the doctor and told him about the case. That fellow got up leisurely, went to the toilet, washed his face and sat down on the chair as if the hang over of the sleep had not gone. He shouted at the village farm worker in a very rough way. He asked to wash the wounds of the child. He was addressing the man as “TU” (whereas the minimum expected behavior was “TUME”). I told him in English, that he is my man, afraid and much shocked and requested him to be little soft with him. That fellow felt insulted and started showing me eyes and said ‘I too know English”. I understood that this was the most befitting case for assault and make him at least an in-patient. I have no regrets what so ever for saying so. However he asked the staff for giving saline and went to sleep again. As per the regular state Government employees practice, all were speaking the same language “Please have patience. It will be taken up in due course. Do not worry”. I understand at least this much that Saline is no treatment for a serious case like snake bite. I talked to the senior medical officer who was known to me. He said that he had just alighted from the bus. He talked to the doctor and said that he will be coming to the hospital at the earliest. All of a sudden, I saw a staff member known to me since long. He said that he is not on duty now. Moreover he is on leave to day because of Mahasaptami. He had gone for a morning walk and casually he entered in to the hospital premises. In the mean time I had collected from my other doctor friends that A S V. is the required medicine. The staff member said that it is available in the hospital but it is inside the locker. Unfortunately he does not have the key now. We went to his house by my bike to get the keys. By this time other doctors had come. I was so much scared that I was sweating profusely in a cool morning. A doctor friend of mine responded my call from IGH and advised me to get the child immediately with out any further delay. The life of the patient is at risk. The concerned doctor asked me to give in writing that I was taking the patient at my risk. A staff nurse was shouting in presence of the doctor that if we could know that you will take the patient we would not have given such a costly medicine. It is a common experience that from the sweeper up to the ward boy, every body poses to be nothing less than the CDMO. I had no time to listen or to react. I simply signed the paper and took the patient away. All along the way, I asked the father of the child to keep talking to the child and do not allow him to sleep. We reached the hospital where my friend acted very promptly. He asked me to get ASV injection which was quite costly. I talked to my son get money from home. The doctor asked me to get the medicine from the shop on credit under his personal recommendation. I was feeling as if my heart will stop if any thing untoward happens. The doctors constantly monitored the case. After some time the doctor said the Oxygen intake has started which in a good sign, but nothing can be said. After about six hours the smile of the doctor gave me chance to breathe properly. Thank God, the child survived.
Now it was the doctor’s turn. I come from a respectable family. My father was a freedom fighter, a senior advocate, Ex M.P, Ex MLA and popular in every circle. Rarely people enjoy such warm affection from the public. I had my limitations to restrict my self to behave as ruffians. I was in a fix. If my attention were deviated a little, the life of the child was lost. I lodged a complain, to the CDMO. It was decided that the concerned doctor will apologies before the eminent citizens. Our so called eminent citizens could not feel the seriousness. I was left with no alternatives than to pray that let this not happen to the child of the VIP . The doctor escaped as if nothing happened which means he was encouraged to go ahead with this act. I wrote a letter to the Director, Medical and health Services. To my utter surprise no action was taken.
Public speak at times sense and at times nonsense also. The news in the air was the concerned doctor was transferred to some other place which was not very lucrative. The order was cancelled. He remained in the same city and in the same hospital. Every body knows such miracles do not take place free of cost in India
Few years later there was a strike by the medical officers in protest of an assault of a doctor. To my utter astonishment I found from the news paper that the same person had given a statement that the situation will be much severe if the situation repeats. There was a public discussion over the issue on the TV channel. The secretary of the Medical Officers Association was always falling in to an embarrassing situation and had no chance to stand bold enough to refute the charges or he was not sportive enough to admit the short falls in the behavior of the doctors.
It is unwise to give a clean chit to the doctors, just because he is a doctor. The Government should take the matter for a proper verification on the spot and punish the guilt with in twenty four hours with eye catching punishments. Under no circumstances the Government should yield just because there is a Medical Officers Association at their back.
Pl. Note: This is purely my personal thoughts and has no intention of offence to anyone.
Please feel free to your views and comments.
Regards DK
