DOCTORS MEANT to save the lives have started taking over the role of murderers. In an unfortunate and a disgraceful incident, 40 people have died across Rajasthan as doctor’s strike in the state enters its fifth day. Though the government has terminated the services of 10 doctors and two medical officers but one is forced to believe that they (government) should have taken the action days before and to prevent such events in future, stringent laws should be framed against the striking doctors.

 

Demanding a hike in their salaries at the cost of dying patients is one shameful incident that would never let us raise our heads. There is no one denying the fact that doctors should be duly paid for their hard work like every other employee in the government services but is it the proper way of making your demands? Absolutely not. Such an inhuman measure only smacks of the irresponsible attitude of striking doctors who pledge to take care of all patients irrespective of their colour, creed or caste at the time of joining their services. Seeing the dramatic turn of events in the state, one believes that such oaths sadly only exist in papers. These doctors should understand the fact that their profession is not money-driven unlike other services – it should rather be driven by the passion to help public at large.

 

3500 resident doctors and 20,000 National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) employees are striking since Wednesday and till 40 patients died, what state administration did was abysmal. It just arrested 400 doctors for violating Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) but after facing the ire for 40 deaths, it has sacked 10 doctors and couple of medical officers. This action should have been taken on the first day of the strike besides opening all the channels of negotiation with the strikers. Again the government has been slow and it has to be blamed for the unfortunate deaths.

 

The Times of India reported that hospitals across the state wore a deserted look and patients alleged that they were discharged without treatment. The situation was even worse across the rural areas, it added. The government has now sought the help of army and BSF doctors besides asking private hospitals to treat the patients at the government rates.

 

These are just addressing the symptoms and that too after the innocent deaths. They should charge the doctors for the murder as their strike has led to deaths. This will send a striong signal across the whole country as such incidents have been reported before as well. Besides it should terminate the services of such doctors or at least punish them by making them work without any payment for at least couple of months. Also we need to have stringent laws to deal with such irresponsible doctors.