Mr Rajesh Ranjan Singh, COO, WISH
Doctors in this country are threatened and feel increasingly unsafe. A recent survey revealed that over 60% of them admitted they were unable to treat patients without fear of violence. The situation is even worse for doctors working in public hospitals, which are overburdened beyond their capacity. Even though doctors in government hospitals are extremely skilled, they are also overworked because they handle patients far beyond their capacity. Lack of adequate infrastructure and shortage of medical support staff such as nurses further augments the problem. This National Doctors’ Day comes at a time when doctors across the country are agitating and demanding better security. We need comprehensive policy measures to address the challenges in our healthcare system. Increasing number of seats for MBBS as well as Medical Post Graduation is an urgent need. Not only do we need more doctors, we also need more hospitals across the country, especially in rural areas. The government should take the help of private players to help build/upgrade medical infrastructure at the primary centers so that people are not turned away because of lack of facilities. It should also open more medical colleges, incentivize doctors to work in public healthcare centers while ensuring they have a safe working environment.
Ms Savitha Kuttan, CEO & Co – Founder of Omnicuris
Doctors are considered as one of the most trusted professionals in many countries including developed nations. There are published studies that show if you trust your doctor, you are actually more likely to do better. “Trust” on your physician is an important part of the treatment regimen apart from medicines and procedures. However, in India the recent incidences of violence against doctors is a sign that we have started to ignore this important piece of treatment regimen. This is a threat not just to the doctor community but to society at large which can even impair our national healthcare goals.
