Suspend All Doctors, Cancel Their Registrations…
© Dr. Rajas Deshpande
Have you ever spoken with a doctor, a judge, a police, minister or an an IAS officer in their office? Almost every common man has had almost a similar experience: an arrogant air of authority, hidden hints of superiority and a subtle dose of “I know better than you” whenever one tries to argue. Now we know all of the above can be wrong occasionally, at all levels. Of course, there are exceptions in all professions. In a new world which is now shedding away traditional chains of inequality and racist slavery, we Indians are probably the most reluctant to change. In performing one’s duty, no one is superior to those they serve.
A doctor needs to be patient and compassionate with the ill-behaved and arrogant, unlike police, judge or minister who will punish people for such behaviour. Additionally, far before COVID19, there have been fatal infections like MDR Tuberculosis and other viruses which have endangered and even killed doctors. The stress of this daily fear of death is difficult to explain to the idiots who argue “but you yourself chose this profession, nobody forced you, you knew all the time about these risks”.
My dear infinite stupid, yes, I chose this profession willingly, knowing the risks, but to live on and serve, not to willingly and knowingly expose myself to fatal infections. A soldier joins the military ‘to live on and fight and protect the country, not with a wish to die with enemy’s bullets’.
When a citizen tells them from the comfort of a protected home that “You already knew you could die in the army”, it is ingratitude and insult to their profession. We choose to be in this profession because our compassion and courage is higher than our fear, not because we want to die. To be honest, we do not expect many to even grasp this concept. © Dr. Rajas Deshpande
I have deep respect for some Judges, IAS and police officers who are geniuses, and the first mark of a genius is a humble openness to all logical argument, with parsimony of words and zero presumptions of having a superior knowledge. Even a few minutes with them enhances your life. They are calm and respectful of others. Their language is never “Suspend, Fire, Transfer or Shoot”, because they know what it takes for a genuine person to reach where they are. These geniuses are far above attention seeking, cheap media publicity, arrogant show of authority and blame-mud-slinging to cover their own mistakes, inferiority complexes, and inadequacies.
It takes longest time and a hardest curriculum with hands-on experience of years to make every single doctor. The more specialised a doctor becomes, the rarer it is to replace his experience. Still anyone can commit mistakes.
If a Judge, a police Officer, a Minister, an IAS officer is wrong, does our constitution allow any TDH in media or society to get up and threaten them with suspension? Can you imagine a nagarsewaks / municipal councillor / local politico, goons or even major/ minor officers threatening a judge, IAS officer or a commissioner with cancellation of their rank, licence or degree? Even the courts of law do not suspend anyone or strip them of their hard earned registration without giving them a complete and patient hearing.
Yet almost every TDH in almost every nook and corner in India, from temporarily elected less-schooled representatives to highly educated junior and senior administrative officers often threaten on TV channels that doctors’ registration, licence and degrees will be cancelled. This apparently gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment and also sends a wrong message to a public that these doctors must serve.
In a country where the policy makers have miserably failed for generations to create enough doctors for their population, where we still continue to have that discrepancy, suspending a doctor is like snatching away food from someone already dying of hunger. One doctor gone screws up many patients’ lives. There’s no other profession where generations are taken care of, lifelong, by one person. Yet apparently, some officer’s egos are more important than those patient’s families, health and lives.
Every day there are news of political, social reasons of suspending, threatening doctors. Deny concessions, freebies, shoe-licking, decline to compromise upon scientific principles or accept inhuman conditions for doctors, and almost every officer unleashes their administrative adrenaline pumps against the entire medical profession. Refuse to accept incorrect policies and guidelines that are against patient’s interests, and insubordination leads to losing your jobs. The most shameful and pathetic addition to this “Suspend-Crazy” admin category are some senior doctors who fail to guard the principles and juniors of their own glorious, noble profession. © Dr. Rajas Deshpande
Like every Judge, Police or IAS officer, even politician, every doctor has also worked very hard to earn their degree and licensing. Every Medical college and University in India is approved by the government. The Medical Council of India has been given the authority and statute to license a medical practitioner upon presenting his / her degree and following principles it has laid down. No one other than the MCI should be able to cancel the licence of a registered medical practitioner. Every case of suspension of a doctor: whether a postgraduate or a senior doctor should be referred to a separate impartial MCI committee. Even the Hon’ble courts of law usually request expert opinion before concluding about medical issues / cases. Yet, our admins and politicians from different states suspend and threaten doctor’s registration cancellation as if it was granted by them or their party or government as a favour. No. We don’t accept that. Every IMA branch in every city must stand by such victimised doctors, protest such injustice, represent the harassed doctor and protect him/ her.
There of-course are doctors who commit mistakes, like Police Officers, IAS officers, Ministers or even some Judges. All of them should be accountable and be brought to the right penalty with the same dignity as others. No one has the right to pretend that a doctor is a slave to their whims, greed and tantrums. © Dr. Rajas Deshpande
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has very clearly stressed the fact that it is very important that doctors should be able to work and make their decisions without stress, insecurity, duress or fear. The article above intends to highlight that same purpose, especially in the light of some recent happenings. Every doctor out there is risking life only to save others, serve the nation. They do have problems, issues and insecurities that need sorting out. Please address their issues scientifically and logically, rather than inhumanly threatening them by suspension and cancellation of licences because you have no resources, funds or answers. Treat your doctors with the same compassion that you expect from them. Or, if you know better, if you want doctors to follow unscientific instructions of admins and whims of politicos, why make doctors? Suspend all doctors at once and do it all yourself.
India will definitely be healthier if you listen to the doctors, and don’t threaten or suspend them for trivial reasons.
Jai Hind!
© Dr. Rajas Deshpande
Written with a sad heart that on one hand where the Hon’ble PM has asked people to respect and appreciate the efforts of doctors, nurses and other corona warriors, many are looking for reasons to corner, threaten and suspend them at the drop of a hat, sometimes just for headlines.
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