Year 2030, India.
In Delhi, Mr Gupta has just developed agonising chest pain –a suspected heart attack, and he along with his near and dear ones are searching for a place called “HOSPITAL” and some endangered species- people previously known as “DOCTORS” but unfortunately nobody seems 2 to find one ,not even Google map seems to help. Finally they give up as mr Gupta also seems to have given up his fight and now lies unresponsive. He might have had a chance to live if only he had an opportunity of treatment in a place called HOSPITAL by people called DOCTORS. Whatever chance he had for a fresh lease of life , was unfortunately not made available to him. Meanwhile in Amritsar , Mrs Kaur has just been hit by a truck while returning on her scooty .She lays on the road , bleeding heavily and unconscious .The good samaritans on the road want to help her .But again the question arises —- WHERE TO TAKE HER FOR THIS EMERGENCY ? Everyone was informed about the fate of poor Mr Gupta by extensive coverage on national media with lots of panel discussion and TRP stunts . And so everybody decided to leave her to her fate . Police came, family members were located and mortal remains were handed over to them.She might have had a chance to live if only she had an opportunity of treatment in a place called HOSPITAL by people called DOCTORS. Whatever chance she had for a fresh lease of life , was unfortunately not available to her.
Breaking News —– In Chennai, Mr Ramanujan’s beloved ,only son had cough and fever since last 5 days .He tried all sorts of home remedies.But just now his son seems unable to breathe properly and his lips are turning blue and he is drifting in and out of consciousness. Family is trying to desperately search for any remaining signs of a place called “HOSPITAL” and some endangered species- people previously known as “DOCTORS” but alas , they give up as Mr Ramanujan’s son also seems to have given up his fight and now lays totally listless and blue . If only the poor child had an opportunity of treatment in a place called HOSPITAL by people called as DOCTORS, maybe he would have been saved. Whatever chance he had for a fresh lease life , was again, unfortunately not available to him.
In Mumbai, Mrs More, a 38 yrs old high risk pregnancy case has developed labour pains . Obviously this time the family doesn’t bother even trying to search for a place called “HOSPITAL” and some endangered species- people previously known as “DOCTORS”.They call their aunties, mothers and grandmothers and take the task upon themselves.The baby is delivered somehow but ‘stillborn’ -doesn’t take a breath and the mothers seems to bleeding away profusely with nobody having a clue as to what is to be done and where to take 3 her.Unfortunately they die.If only the child and mother had an opportunity of treatment in a place called HOSPITAL by people called as DOCTORS, maybe they would have been saved. Whatever chance they had for a fresh lease of life , was again unfortunately not available to them.
These unfortunate medical cases are not new. Their frequency has increased by leaps and bounds now. As usual there is a hue and cry in parliament .News channels are trampling one another to gain footage and coverage for their TRPs .There are expert panels of lawyers, Judges, politicians, our neighborhood political wannabes , some so called page III society stalwarts ,etc ,etc,etc—–debating away to glory and giving their expert opinion on HEALTHCARE and what has gone wrong, why it has gone wrong and who should be held responsible for it . But you know what , nobody has a clue —simple reason being — THEY REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY CLUE. The actual stakeholders — people in healthcare like Doctors and nurses and paramedics are nowhere to be found as they don’t exist anymore . Even after extensive search and investigation they couldn’t be located . In Fact it is suspected that they are trying to hide their past and do not in any circumstances be associated with healthcare anymore .It has also come to light that many doctors and nurses and allied paramedical staff had given up their profession long back and taken up other “SAFE ” professions.
Gradually over the last few years many medical colleges have closed down due to lack of any student ,bright or otherwise , willing to study medicine and join this profession. In fact an interesting case has come to light. A 12 th std student who barely scraped passed his exams with 36 % marks has also bluntly refused to join any medical college even though the govt had offered to make his entire medical education free. His mother and father had threatened to commit suicide if he even thought of joining medicine. His marks didn’t qualify for safe professions like engineering, law, teaching, media, etc .The only possible admission that he could get ,was in the very High risk profession of medicine. But even he has refused , citing that he would rather go unemployed and claim the unemployment money offered during pre-poll promises of the political parties.He has said that he cannot risk his life being a doctor.He believes that its better to be alive begging rather being beaten up dead as a doctor after so many years of study hard work and sacrifices.
Another interesting case has also come to light. It had been decided in a high level meeting that to punish people caught on the wrong side of the law , especially for serious crimes like murder, the state will have one more punishment . Apart from the life term and Hanging ,it had been decided that if the president pardons a convict or reduces his sentence from hanging to life imprisonment, the convict should be compelled to complete a special bridge course to medicine –and work as a doctor in Govt Hospitals or in private on parole. In this context, recently an interesting case has come to light. A 26 yr old dangerous serial killer filled a review petition (filled on his behalf by society think tanks and human rights activists ) for a review of death sentence on compassionate grounds.It was duly taken up for hearing at midnight hours during vacation time by the courts and was granted ,on compassionate grounds, to reduce the sentence to life imprisonment. But as per the added clause ,he had to agree to prepare for bridge course to become a doctor (Serial killer to doctor ….no pun intended.) In an astonishing statement, the convict has happily agreed to be hanged till death and die in one go for his sins rather than dying everyday in a slow and painful way for no fault of his own and in the hands of people whose lives he tries to save.
The practicing surgeons and physicians , being bright and talented as always , took up training in other vocations and have started excelling in their new professions. Many have joined IAS, judiciary,Media houses, Politics, etc and are enjoying the fruits of safe secure occupations. The nursing staff have taken up other caring but safe professions like hospitality, social work, etc.The paramedical staff and technicians have gone back to other allied engineering fields. They seem to be very happy having left the medical profession for good. They are happy to have learnt new work and appreciate the free working environment without threat to their lives or that of their colleagues or near and dear ones.They are really relieved that they got rid of the medical profession and its related uncertainties.
The Hospitals and clinics wore a deserted look from the time they were vandalised .Glass pieces still strewn on the floor. The broken wires dangling from crushed medical equipments on the tables.Bricks and stones lying everywhere. In fact, if you meditate silently ,you can still hear the shrill cries of the female medical and nursing staff pleading with the group of faceless vandals 5 and goons who seem to be hell bent on recreating the warzone scene of Syria, right here in India. The uncleaned dried blood stains still testimony to the time when some of our own so called civil society members decided to punish the healthcare workers for the death of a 55 yrs old gentleman with known history of uncontrolled hypertension,diabetes, obesity,etc,etc ; who didn’t believe and hence never took ,the medicines prescribed to him and thought that doctors only wanted to make money out of him.The media, judiciary and society had been very sympathetic of the relatives who had vandalised these hospitals stating that its natural for people to be upset and aggrieved during these stressful times of losing their loved ones and hence need a place and people on whom they can vent out their anger.
In the numerous discussion on prime time news and reports of all the media houses, it was finally concluded that its very selfish on the part of doctors to not OFFER THEMSELVES AS A SCAPEGOAT AND A PUNCHING BAG so that the mental peace of the society can be restored . It’s not possible to blame GOD for everything and anyway, how to do it ? Hence the next possible –so called — NEXT TO GOD, ‘DOCTORS’ had to be rightfully taken to task and beaten black and blue….Coz how could they have not saved their patient’s life ? Haven’t they never allowed their family ,near and dear ones to die and saved their lives all the time ? (or have they ?)
The patient had been finally brought to the hospital and they had paid their initial deposit money and that’s all that is necessary to ‘save a life ‘ . Isn’t it ? So what if he had come in a gasping condition with unrecordable BP and pulse. So what if he didn’t take his medications .So what if he never trusted his doctors advise. So what if he was in a very high risk age group.So what if he never felt the need to stop his heavy drinking and smoking .So what if he thought that only a little of some vegetable juice is enough to control every damn medical problem.So what if the relatives decide to take him to hospital only after having tried all possible home remedies and treatment advised by their uncles and aunties. So what if they thought that there were more knowledgeable relatives and well wishers at home than a qualified medical professional in hospital whose only aim in life was to fleece innocent people.
Whatever it is , their relative should not have died….coz nobody dies in this world, unless of course they are KILLED BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS in Hospitals , Right ? isn’t it ? 6 Anyway, apart from the problem of losing loved ones to easily treatable medical conditions due to closed hospitals and vanished Doctors , now people had a very important ANOTHER PROBLEM….Whom should they blame for their deaths….. Of course you need someone to put the blame on, to bear the brunt of their anger and frustrations , a punching bag. But hey, you know what , those easily available prey, those doctors and nurses and paramedics have just disappeared into thin air nowhere to be found and no body from the young generation want to step into their shoes.
…………… AND THEN SUDDENLY I WAKE UP from my bad dream (or was it actually a ‘pleasant dream ‘) …………..
