Probashi- Invited Article
Probashi- Invited Article
Doctor Is Next To God
DOCTOR IS NEXT TO GOD Dr. Swarnima Basu Dasgupta
They Said, " A Doctor is next to
God...”, I never believed that. How can a doctor be next to God?, God is Universe, larger than Life, God is Belief, God is Faith, God is Trust, God is Ray of Hope, God is Protection.... our Creator, a ' friend in need ', a ' blessing in disguise ', so how a doctor can be next to God?
I grew up to become a Doctor myself. I then looked at the mirror. ' Do I look like God?' ‐ I asked myself, ' No way, I looked the same good old SWARNIMA...’. I was relieved, and the thought of being a God, vanished from my mind. As time passed by, I got involved in the routine ‐ the OPD ' s, the Indoors, the morning and evening rounds, the reports, patients, more patients and more patients. I was posted in the Obs & Gynae department as a Jr. Resident in a Delhi Govt. Hospital. The rush for deliveries was more than what we could handle. We were in fact doing multi‐tasking between patient to patient, like a ' Merry ‐ Go ‐ Round '.
On that eventful winter night, I was on night duty, half of our Unit was on leave due to Holi, and I had handled 7 deliveries that night, and was so tired that I was almost falling down. Around 2 am, a piercing CRY at the door alerted me. A patient was rushed in with half of her baby protruding out, almost unconscious, followed by a man, starved to the neck, with a heart wrenching shout‐ " Bacha Lo doctorsaab, Bachalo mere bibi ko ".
It was an emergency, I conducted the delivery, and immediately thereafter, I saw a massive rush of blood coming out. The PPH was so severe, that I was scared to my hilt.
I had to do something; I was too junior to handle such an emergency. I shouted for Oxytocins, channelized 2 drips and called up my Consultant for help. It was a struggle all night, and every moment, the patient was fighting for life. At one moment I thought she has passed out, but by that time, my seniors were with me, and we managed to revive the patient.
I looked at my watch, it was 10 am. I stepped out of the labour room half dead, and there I saw the husband, almost, shivering, with a white face. I said, ' Nothing to worry, your wife will survive..' He listened to me, held my hand, and said, ' Thank you doctor, you are like God to me..”, as tears of gratitude trickled from his eyes. And the realization struck my mind, though we as doctors do what the profession demands, yet, the patient looks up at us for protection, faith, assurance and care as God.
The power of knowledge, that we have in us, as doctors, is so immense, that we practically control a patient, his family, his wealth and his life. This power has to be controlled and tempered within the codes of conduct of Medical ethics.
Our profession is to do " Good to a patient, in any way, in any form, at any place, and as long as we can ". Our profession is to Respect our seniors, and train our juniors, never to charge them and treat each other free. Our Profession is to Respect a patient who confides with us, never divulge his problems in public, tell him the truth, tell him what treatment and medicine he requires, and allow him to take a decision. Our profession is to never indulge in Commercialization, never prescribe a medicine because someone is offering commission, never ask for a lab report, because lab pays you, never get an X ray, because you get a commission on X Rays and Ultra sounds. Our Ethics do not permit us to give guarantees to lure patients, to treat a patient even when you know you do not have expertise.
Medical Ethics in today ' s scenario has taken a serious beating. The Conscience has taken a back seat, and the ' Greed ' has taken the driving seat. The doctors today, are competing with each other, don ' t mind that extra buck that may come with extra prescription, the free holidays, the gifts and commissions, the BMW ' s and what not. The doctors want to be rich, wish to live a king size life, big houses, big cars. And it is happening, and that is why, a PG medical seat sells for Crores. So who cares for Medical Ethics, the poor patients who can ' t pay, a bleeding road side man, or a child birth not to becoming Still Birth.
The Power of Knowledge has since been taken over by Power of Money. But at the end of the day, let us not forget, we are going to grow old one day, we are going to become sick one day, we may have cancer, paralysis, heart attack, and may come under the knife of a colleagues. What would happen if the knife of a colleague is more influenced with power of money over power of knowledge?
Let us all pray together, today, ‐ now‐, that we shall never allow Greed to take over our profession, for I do believe, NOW, that we as Doctors are next to God.