Doctor : The second God

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty


Man primarily is a being, a mind- body complex. If the inner accord with the mutable reality is imbalanced an unease disturbs his composure. He goes to a doctor for restoration of his body and mind. The serious the ailment the agonising his appeal to the doctor: Can’t you wipe off the written troubles of my mind; pluck out the rooted sorrow... He prays the second god who with tablets and syrupy medicines cures him. Sets his ruined body in an accident to order with scalpel and knife. All men who suffer go with hope only to one person- a doctor. The witch doctor, the village vaidya, hakim or the modern sophisticated trained doctor or surgeon is the last hope for a suffering man,The doctor in the modern world, as always, is the most respected person as he saves life, restores confidence to live his allotted span of life. The medical profession is considered to be the most honourable and sacred. Greed, avarice and exploitation of a helpless man are not the weaknesses in a doctor which make him different from others. Names like Dr Schwitzer and Mother Teresa for their sacrifice and service to man are always remembered with a bowed head.

But what do we see today! The doctor is a money making professional who uses his expertise and efficiency to extract his pound of flesh from people who have no bargaining power when they lie inert in a hospital bed. His life saving powers are sold to the highest bidder. He plays with life, often blackmails and cheats, even loots. It will however, be a travesty of truth to generalise. Even today there are doctors who serve men and women with the best traits in their training and character. But when he becomes a corporate or is hired by a corporation mammon worship replaces his selfless divine services.

In India as in other countries, all governments prioritize health services. It is now the bounden duty of elected governments to pay attention to healthcare of the people. India being an over populated country of 1.3 billion it is not possible on the part of government-both centre and states – to provide super specialized medical service to all. More than half of the population is poor. The government hospitals, particularly in the rural and semi urban areas are poorly equipped. Doctors play truant ,mint money by providing private service. The corporate hospitals by nature and motive are profit making units established by rich investors. These provide service but at a prohibitive cost. In 2017 reports came from Max, Fortis and other such corporate hospitals how they over charge and loot. A kid suffering from Dengue was treated for two weeks but could not be saved. The parents were given a bill for fifteen lakhs to pay for the release of the body. An alive babe was given to the parents closed in a plastic bag ...

Let me not elaborate and list out such atrocities. In the government hospitals even a bed and a clean bed sheet are a blessed luxury, let us not ask about the sophisticated machines. But what pains us is the apathy and indifference of these aproned men who sell their souls for a few banknotes. The babies who died in the Gorakhpur Government Hospital owing to lack of oxygen were literally killed by the doctors by their chalta hai attitude. Private hospitals in the name of professionalism squeeze the patients. Tests which are irrelevant are conducted only to swell the bill... Let me not give a negative narrative of the hypocrisy and Shylock approach to patients who treat the doctors as angels of mercy. The medical practice is not a profession but a service. We do not grudge their income which is legitimate. But when a dead patient is kept on the ventilator for weeks only to extract money naturally your moral sense revolts. A patient’s gratitude is the highest reward for a doctor. When a doctor sees the grateful smiles on the face of a patient he should feel fulfilled. If you want money, well, throw away your stetho and degree and enter other sectors of lie and deceit. If not play the second god and earn respect, blessings and love which any day are more valuable than all the treasures of Kuber.