Hang on! What are you saying? My mom did not go to work? On a working day? That cannot be possible; I ve known her 25 years and not once had my, workaholic, doctor mother stayed back. Not once! until this day; They called it a strike! Strike? Strike for what? Strike to show her solidarity to the death of a doctor in a nearby town of tuticorin.
Dr. T. Sethulakshmi, the chief doctor of an ESI hospital in Tuticorin was hacked to death by the relatives of a pregnant patient (Nithya), who had died in the private clinic of this doctor. Very very sad! I mean, how can you kill a doctor, who i am 100% sure did not want to cause harm to her own patient. That man is mad; probably insane. My sympathies to the doctor's family. Having been born and brought up in a hospital campus, i know how much the doctor's work and it is extremely unfair to kill somebody for no fault of hers. Infact the doctor was trying to help the patient (I don't consider medical negligence here as i think even medical negligence are not intentional).
The entire doctor community (read IMA) had come out openly to fight against this injustice and took a day off from work to show their solidarity. Now, it is good to see that the so called competitive medical community took some time out of their busy schedule to show solidarity.
But! Why a strike? Are you saying that if you strike and don't go to work one day, the next insane man is not going to kill? Come on! I know it is extremely frightening to know that the doctors are not safe. This could have happened to anybody; even to my mom and dad. But, that is the truth and life has to go on. Striking, not going to work, is not and will not prevent such incidence from happening again.
I heard doctors say that they also have the right to strike. Fair enough! I agree. The Indian constitution has given the right to strike to every citizen. But, strike for strike's sake will not help. One other thing which is equally sad is the medical community does not have a very good name with the ordinary people. Strikes like these might in fact increase the animosity people have on the community. Let us face it! the medical community is not the most ethical and coming out openly saying the media is the sole reason for the bad name is simplifying the issue.
Show solidarity. Visit the family. Wear black badges. Give in writing to the people in charge of your safety about your plight. Increase your personal security. If need be, take walks and teach the public what you think. But, please don't say we won't work. Even with all the animosity the common man needs you; he needs you badly and for that he respects you.
Again i say, this will not and cannot solve your problem. God forbid, this increase the anger he has on you. Please believe me, no sane man will ever do this to one of you.
14 comments:
i agree with u that v need to teach them,but r they capable of understanding?why did the animosity arises/increases?? its soley the money minded society which sees even this profession as a business(I mean buying the medical seats). More attention needs to b put on these areas and educating the society then only v can teach the society!!
The murder of a doctor is totally a disgrace and condemnatory. Though, I wonder how striking from service (I don't accept medical treatment as a profession) and killing people who crave for your kindness can ever justify it.
Why didn't you strike when many doctors stole the kidney of their own patients? Why didn't you strike when Dr.Prakash brought shame to the whole state?
Man becomes animal sometimes. But showing hatred towards him is never a solution. What is your assurance if the whole state starts killing you because they lost their relatives during your strike? Understand... Don't lead us in the wrong path... Pl get back to work... Help us, treat us and save us!
Doctors today, Police tomorrow, Army then... Oooooooo I'm fainting!
dai sam, i completely agree with you. there is no second thought. but remember one thing, Doctors are also human beings. they too will behave like other people in the society since they have the similar feelings. you cannot expect DOCTORs alone to have more sacrificing tendency. But still, i dont have a second thought on your verdict.
dai sam, i completely agree with you. there is no second thought. but remember one thing, Doctors are also human beings. they too will behave like other people in the society since they have the similar feelings. you cannot expect DOCTORs alone to have more sacrificing tendency. But still, i dont have a second thought on your verdict.
@ Thanga : I agree with the fact that the animosity did not rise out of no where and doctors are equally or infact more responsible for the animosity.
@ udhaya : No comments
@ Jonath annan: True annan. we know how the doctors work hard. Lot of times we dont give them credit. But when they do some thing like this they lose credibility
Dear Sam your views as always are reasonable n noble indeed.I could nt agree more on strike not being the solution ,at same time I want to express myself on some of the oft repeated issues related to doctors n their right to strike.
A Doctor is a trained professional in the field of medicine and healthcare as a service is universally considered as an essential service just like armed forces ,transport ,electricity etc.
None of the essential services providers enjoy the right to strike since as common sense suggests they are ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
Members of the medical fraternity are in it by their own free will and choice and therefore both the high rewards and sacrifices associated with the job are par for the course and Doctors have neither reason to boast nor complain about the high standards expected of them.
What has happened in Tuticorin is a plain and simple case of murder .
Whether the motive behind it is personal vengeance ,insanity or retaliation for negligence is immaterial.
The medical fraternity is completely justified in so far as asking for a speedy trial and conviction.
However expecting a better standard of safety for themselves compared to the larger society as a matter of right is preposterous and reflects a feudal mentality of looking at themselves as a class apart from the rest.
Therefore ,while the Docs have every right to protest,petition,create awareness and seek legal remedy to protect their interests they have no right to strike or to ask for any special mechanism of protection which is extra constitutional.
yea its pathetic to see our country like this.....drivers strike...milk men strike...now itz docters turn....
what more worse things are to happen we ll see in the near future.....what does this really shows??
Jesus Christ said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be before the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:37. What was it like in Noah’s day before the flood? Here’s the answer: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” Genesis 6:11
so tats it ....make way hez coming.....again...r u ready????
@ SBK : Karhi, I really don't whether constitution has some extra provision for people in the "essential service sector". If dat s de case den the entire idea of going for a strike and saying we also have the right to strike is legally punishable.
Even if doctors are not included in the essential service category i presume it is not good for them to strike and now has set a bad precedence.
Regarding, asking for special mechanism for protection, I think anybody can ask and it is for the government to decide.
And, i ve to agree that they ve a superiority complex about them:)
sam,if the doctors dont strike,society will feel that accused did the right thing,so doctors strike indicate that murder is not soloution
much as i would like to condemn it Sam, I don't think the doctors' voices would be heard as effectively if they resorted to just black badges and visiting the family. I am all for non-violence and it is unfair to the other patients, but my thoughts are really mixed on this.
BTW, I do read your blog often, just haven't been commenting, that's all. And thank you for adding my blog to your list!
@ Kirubaka : I don't believe that society will ever think the accused did the right thing ka. How will the society justify a plain murder. I think the people know that murder can never be the solution even without strikes
@ Deepa : I don't know deepa. I just felt that doctor's going for a strike has set a bad precedence. I too have mixed feelings coming having medical parents
your blogs have been such an inspiration deepa, for me to write. If u ve noticed i ve copied a lot of ur words in my blog.
The way you write is fabulous
Sam, A doctors profession is noble, only because it is a life full of sacrifice, where making money becomes secondary. In a complex world of medicine, where money saving is crucial to the patient and where doctors are scarce, under tremendous pressure, doctors do make mistakes. The problem with negative media stereotyping of doctors, is that Sethulakshmis murder IS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. The media HIDES from the public the infinite number of times that doctors are harassed at work, threatened, even attacked. This negative stereotyping by the media is now paying off in the attack on Dr. Sethulakshmi, and is pathetic.
@ Parthasarathy : Sir, I agree with you that the doctors life is full of sacrifice. I ve seen my parents spend half their life in the hospital. My only problem is if doctors continue with strikes like this, then media will continue doing that work and it will be counter productive for the medical fraternity.
And please, please as a community you have to accept that there are faults within the community as well. And that is one reason people are angry. Not only media hype.
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