By Dr Arun Mitra
Probably we could not perceive that the moral crisis in our society has deepened to alarming levels until we heard the news of rape and gruesome murder of a young female doctor in Kolkata. The junior doctors in West Bengal are continuing their movement largely demanding proper Inquiry and rapid trial of suspects, safety and security at hospitals, updating infrastructure at Government hospitals and thus improving the quality of patient care.
Doctors have been the targets of mob violence at many places, mostly for frivolous reasons. Therefore, the outrage among the doctors for their demand for safety at workplace particularly for the female doctors is very much justified. These are issues for which the doctors should not be required to agitate; it is the duty of the concerned governments to ensure safe environment for work to all the citizens in various sectors. Healthcare facilities and medical professionals should be given priority because they have to work day and night. In the present circumstances when the female doctors outnumber the male colleagues, their safety is of paramount importance.
No one can guarantee complete cure or even 100% safety from any drug reaction, surgical failure, medical failure or unintentional negligence. It is therefore unacceptable when the health facilities and the staff including doctors and paramedics are attacked and equipment, property and other infrastructure, which has helped hundreds of patients for recovery from illness, is destroyed. In the case of R G Kar Medical College, it was the organised unruly mob who broke the CCTV cameras and tried to destroy the evidence. The case is now under investigation under the supervision of the Apex Court.
The incident at R G Medical College Kolkata is a sad reflection of how much impatient, restless, aggressive and uncaring society we have become. The hospitals, clinics or other healthcare facilities have been hitherto considered as the places of worship and given due respect by the society. In the past few years aggression in the society has been promoted through protection to those who indulge in mob lynching and hate mongering. Repeated parole to the rapists and murderers has built a mental status in the society where aggression is taken for granted and it has almost desensitised the population with regards to violence and politicisation of conflicts. Moral degradation has started from home where qualitative communication has changed or reduced. Lack of quality in early stages of education in schools has added to this. These are serious issues for the medical profession to ponder over.
With the entry of corporate sector the medical profession has become serious competitive business model with no empathy with sufferers or their family. As a result of growing inequalities and people’s inability to afford quality healthcare in the corporate driven health sector the integrity of medical profession is in question. It is unfortunate that some of the medical professionals have adopted to the corporate system of healthcare and have lost concern for the public health care system.
Many of the young doctors would become epidemiologists or public health experts in future. They will have to deal with situations to prevent diseases, infection and anti-microbial resistance. They will have to take up the matter of clean drinking water, sewerage facilities, waste management and healthy nutrition with the higher authorities and other similar issues. They will have to react to the failures of the administration in carrying out several prevention of disease programs, vaccination during certain diseases, fogging during rainy season to prevent dengue, malaria chikungunya etc.
The doctors have to work under adverse circumstances in the natural calamities risking their lives. This brings to focus our approach towards climate change and its mitigation. It is high time that we train the budding doctors on such issues.
It is unfortunate that increase in the violence is becoming a global phenomenon. Several parts of the world are witnessing extreme type of violence. Thousands of hapless children and women are dying in the war in Middle East and Ukraine. Hundreds are dying of hunger, malnutrition and diseases in the conflicts in many parts of Africa and elsewhere. That 129 million people in our country live in extreme poverty at a meagre wage of Rs.180/- per day as per the World Poverty Report 2024 is a cause of worry for their nutrition and health.
Violence prevention these days is a serious public health emergency. We must work for social harmony and reduction in tensions so as to prevent violence. As doctors we have to express solidarity with the peace-loving people around the world, raise strong voice for peaceful resolution of conflicts and end to wasteful expenditure on arms race and diversion of funds towards health, education and other social needs. (IPA Service)