WORLD SUFFERS MORE BECAUSE OF SILENCE OF GOOD PEOPLE

Doctors are not Gods or Supermen. Just as teachers, judges, counselors and priests are not too. If God gives life, He takes away life, too. No matter what you and I, including doctors, do… Life doesn’t come with a guarantee. When time comes, you go… do what you like.

More than anything else, I am disturbed by the appalling reality of treating doctors as villains. I have several friends and relatives who are doctors… I have my own and my family’s doctors… So many times, a surgery of my dearest and dearest one has been carried out by a stranger doctor who we haven’t met during the rest of our life… 

I was a little boy when my dad was saved by a stranger doctor in my village. Dad had ruined his liver by drinking the country liquor. That gave a lease of about 15-17 more years for my dad to live. But, my dad did not stop drinking like a fish (desi) and smoking like a chimney (beedi)… One morning, he died of a massive heart-attack. Nobody had checked the condition of his liver or lungs. He died without making any noise…

I was 25. I still remember what was crossing my mind when I stood beside my dad’s coffin: the stranger doctor who had saved my dad from dying when I was a little boy… I would never know who he was!

You fear God and His wrath… So, you dare not to question Him, leave alone an assault. But, doctors are soft targets, you see!

Today, if doctors all over the nation have shown solidarity against the hooligans and the brute, I think, that’s something spontaneous and very much needed. Doctors don’t kill patients. They are no monsters… They do their best… just as any teacher, advocate, judge, counselor or priest would do in their respective spheres… For example, I teach hundreds of students every year… But, I do not guarantee that my student would even ‘pass’… leave alone get a distinction. Advocates know that well, too… even if they are a Ram Jethmalani or a Kapil Sibal… All that we can do is: do our best to help… That’s all!

The High Court and the State Government should have been more empathetic and proactive towards the genuine concerns of Medical fraternity… Instead, both - the Judiciary and the Government - have only rubbed more salt to the wounds. If the pain and humiliation in the hands of drunken relatives of the patients was not enough, behold! The Judges and the Ministers have more to add!

That’s disgusting!

A friend of mine, Dr. Harprit Kaur and her doctor husband have experienced the plight of their fraternity from the ringside. Today, Dr. Harprit had shared on social media a touching appeal by a member of her fraternity. I share it here with her permission…

Dear patient,
I know, you are also deeply disturbed by the strike of doctors across Maharashtra and must be praying that you should not fall ill at least till the strike gets over.

Friends, it's even more painful for us to go on strike and stop the work which we are doing passionately since years, to heal the world of its pain. But, we have had to do this so as to save our lives and continue to keep healing you till our last breath.

Friends, please understand, that even we know, that almost 90 percent of the patients who we treat are not trouble-makers and they sincerely believe in their doctor and follow the advice almost blindly and never ever abuse their care-giver, forget about physical assault. But, the remaining lot of 10 percent is the group which has threatened the lives of doctors and has brought us to where we are right now.

I have a complaint about the good 90 percent people!

It is said that the world does not suffer because of actions of bad people… but, it suffers more because of silence of good people. And that's what is my complaint about you.

I am expecting you to raise your voice against these anti-social elements, which are raising their hands to physically assault the healing-hands in action.

Remember, it is these 10-percent people who are responsible for the current situation and the way doctors are scared for their lives at workplace!

Time and again, it has been said that a surgical scalpel in the hand with tremors due to fear for one’s own life is a sure shot sign of a failing surgical outcome and a complicated surgery and doctor cannot be asked to treat effectively on gun-point when his own life is at stake…

If you have seen the video of the Dhule incident, there were many other patients and relatives around, but no one came forward to oppose the beating crowd!

Guys, please don't do this…

Remember, this apathy on your part will kill the morale of medical profession in India, and few years down the line, we will not get sincere and honest doctors to treat us or our near-and-dear one’s in their emergency medical needs!

I sincerely appeal each and every member of civil society, if you feel that at any point of time in your life, you have been helped in great way by your treating doctor( whoever he or she may be), if you feel some of you or your dying relatives or friends have been brought back from the jaws of a certain death by the sincere and relentless efforts of a doctor(even ignoring his food, rest, personal life and of course whoever he or she may be), then, it's your moral and social responsibility to speak up for that soul, speak up for that doctor who brought happiness in your life at the most stressful moment of your life.
The medical profession is in need of this support right now.

Support of those patients, who they have been serving for such a long time, will definitely boost their morale to thrive hard to deliver even better health care services to you in a fearless environment...

Friends, it's a chance to show your feelings for the doctor you love...

Come, join us in our efforts to restore self-respect back in the minds of medical fraternity. Come, let’s make efforts to stop those tremors of the healing hands and instill confidence in their minds to serve even more passionately...

Speak up guys… Speak up.
It's now or never!

True,  the world does not suffer because of actions of bad people… but, it suffers more because of silence of good people. And that's why, I thought, I would not remain silent on this issue.

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Internet