MEDICAL SYSTEMS

 NOBLE   PROFESSION

hit a bad patch

 

Dr. T. Rama Prasad                                                                                May 2024

 

 

 

An artist’s depiction of a hospital in COVID times.

To add a tad of glamour and gaiety to the gloomy picture of the tragedy,  I painted a few figures going around dancing.

The ‘COVID medical scenario’ offered a paradox of people being afraid of hospitals and of hospitals being afraid of people.

SCARED of HOSPITALS           &           SCARED of PATIENTS

 

Before I scribble something about the surrealistic subject of  "MEDICAL FEAR"  among the public and the professionals, let me pen a few lines about the ongoing tug of war in the Supreme Court about a case of conundrum among systems of medicine in India.

 

BATTLE BETWEEN SYSTEMS OF MEDICINE

India provides various systems of medicine, official and unofficial.  Presently, in 2024, a legal war is being fought between ‘Allopathy’ (Indian Medical Association - IMA) and ‘Ayurveda’(Patanjali Ayurved). It is alleged that ‘Patanjali Ayurved’ discredited ‘Allopathy’ and made false claims of cure through ‘Ayurveda’.  After a few hearings of the arguments, it seems that a little war broke out between the IMA and the Supreme Court. The court is reported to have criticised the practices of private doctors – “the phenomenon of inflated bills and doctors allegedly prescribing over-priced medicine brands in cahoots with pharmaceutical companies.” In turn, the IMA chief, R. V. Asokan, is reported to have said : “It does not behove the Supreme Court to take a broadside against the medical profession of the country which after all sacrificed so many lives for the Covid war.”Reacting to this, Justice Hima Kohli is reported to have asked the IMA lawyers : “After all this, you dothis ? The IMA has not coveted itself with glory  …  How can you decide which way we [Supreme Court] should go ?” (THE HINDU, May 1, 2024). At last, the Supreme Court has slammed both the parties. Whatever be the system, let’s call a spade a spade. The ‘Patanjali case’ seems to be a clear example of violation of checks and balances which called for stepping in of courts to regulate the regulators for actions without fear or favour.  Which is the “noble” system ? Let’s wait for the final verdict.   Ultimately, it is the judgement of the PEOPLE that matters, not of the Supreme Court, not the Government, or the professional bodies.  A majority of 44,000 out of 70,000 hospitals exist in the private sector in India.  This apparently speaks good of the private hospitals as people voluntarily seek treatment at the private hospitals.  No doubt, there are excellent hospitals and dedicated doctors in India.  But, but, but …  read the following.

 

 

SCARED of HOSPITALS

 

No, it’s not the fear of injections, procedures or ventilators when it came to ‘COVID hospitalizations’ especially during the ‘second wave’ in

 

This is the first page of my article of 20 pages  --  T. Rama Prasad

 

 

 

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/noble-profession.html