By K.B. Ganapathy, Editor-in-Chief

On July 3, 2017, I wrote in this column about Dr. NO. Now, let me write about the same profession where some fail to follow medical ethics. They work like robots that too make mistakes, not because they are irresponsible but because of some technical error. But what about the human doctor who makes mistakes because of his irresponsible conduct?

It appears, he has many more hospitals to rush to and many more surgeries and procedures to perform. When people are desperate for cure, there are desperate surgeons (exceptions apart) in a hurry to exploit the patient.

The National Geographic magazine of July 2017 has published a report about the healthcare crisis in Venezuela. Reading it, I remembered again about what our own surgeons (some of them) do to our patients in pain and how the exploitation takes place.

The corrupt Governments do nothing about reining in these doctors, not so much from their greed (let them) but from their irresponsible conduct with the patients before and after the surgery. In Venezuela, the sick are sick of these doctors and are going to spiritual healers.

We in India, a land of superstition, with high cost of medical care, too look for alternative medical cure which includes spiritual healers and Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. Spiritual healing includes black magic too !

Our Government hospitals are cesspools of corruption. No X-ray machine would be operational, so you go to a private X-ray centre; same is the case with other equipment. No medicines in stock. Pathology Lab is an apology. Once my gardener was diagnosed as highly diabetic when in fact he was too far away even to get diabetes.

I have heard that a patient, after taking an appointment from a “busy surgeon,” went to the 5-star hospital crowded like a Government hospital, at the appointed hour. It was for a minor procedure — 20 minutes and the patient is out. The doctor came two hours late. In the meanwhile, a few tests and the money to be deposited. What was promised by the surgeon about the procedure was never followed. The patient was in agony for the 20-minute procedure spending one whole day in the hospital! And the result?

After hearing the patient’s son, I advised him to visit as many temples as possible, specially Ganapathi temple (not Ganapathy’s office!) before going to the same surgeon to accomplish what is left unaccomplished during his first visit. In fact, the old man returned with a fractured leg due to mishandling by the paramedicals while shifting him to the wheel-chair from the operation table.

Physical pain, body pain makes every human being miserable. There are different kinds of sickness. It could be heart problem, spine problem, cancer, problem with legs, knees, eyes, ears, anus and any number of organs that God has assembled to make a man! And  a medical doctor should have a large heart and a small pocket to treat such patients. Smile begets smile. When a patient smiles, it should make his doctor too to smile. But the one who came to me said his surgeon never smiled with his father.

And finally, these roller-coaster doctors hopping from one hospital to another should be mandatorily asked to follow a protocol after a surgery or a procedure: Remain with the patient till he is shifted to the ICU or the ward, check if the paramedics have done the post-operation or post-procedure cleaning up, dressing etc., correctly, record it in writing and then leave the patient. Otherwise we will hear of incidents of wrong-leg being amputated, scissors, gloves and cotton swabs left inside the body to make the patient visit the hospital again and also visit the Consumer Court!

Doctors have no time to explain the treatment; therefore, what they leave unsaid is a mystery and that leaves the patient in misery !