This is a discussion on Aamir Khan’s Satyamev Jayate – Does Healthcare Need Healing aired on 27th May 2012. (You can watch it on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lg0kUtS8ic)
Dear Mr. Aamir Khan,
“NOT ALL DOCTORS ARE GREEDY”
“THERE IS NO PROFESSION THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAN”
“DOCTORS ARE OBLIGED TO SERVE BY CHOICE, NOT BY COMPULSION”
Sir,
I have been a big fan or your work, life and principles. I am also a fan of ‘Satyamev Jayate’. But I was shocked to see the episode on 27th May, 2012. You are an Icon. You should have thought well and done the homework before doing such a biased show. There are only two people in the film industry that are being taken seriously by the thinking class of society, You and Amitabh Bacchhan. So, when you give such a biased and one sided version of a story, it hurts. Speaking about such a thing on a “commercial” TV show is bad. (I am sure you have taken a big amount, only doctor are supposed to do charity and social work, not actors!!! Right!)
I want to highlight few important points here. And yes I am qualified to make observations as I am a medical student.
1.Your guests and audience (the words were almost put in their mouth) said that private colleges charge a capitation fee of 40 – 50 Lacs for MBBS, you should have also produced some evidence of such practice. Like you call a victim in all your episodes, why not here? And do the same story Engineering, Architecture, Law and MBA colleges, do you think they are clean? Why target doctors alone?
2. You said Since 2001, government opened 31 medical colleges and 106 private institutes were opened. – Please note that today in India, there are a total of 181 Private and 152 Govt Medical colleges. So the number is not as bad s you projected. Don’t project only the time period which suits your story. Either give a complete picture or do not give a picture at all!
And also, please find out how many of these private colleges are owned by politicians? 95% of Private colleges in India are owned and run by politicians. It is a bloody nexus between politicians and MCI. The corruption by politicians is to blamed for the mess, not doctors!!!
3.One of your guest (Dr. Gulhati) said that doctors ask for 30% commission from Pharma companies to write their drugs. That is baseless, over-the-roof and sensationalizing the matter. That is as true as “Most Leading actors ask newcomers to sleep with them” or “Lawyers take money from both the sides in a legal battle” or “Most chartered accountants teach their clients how to save tax and also pass info to taxman on where his client saved tax”. I know all of you will shout “Where is the proof?”. So are doctors!!!
I am not trying to sensationalize things as you did on your show by shading those fake tears, but just trying to project that allegations are easy to make. I know you will say that this was the opinion of our guest, and not yours. But you provided a platform for these fake allegations.
4. You compared the numbers of Licenses cancelled in England and in India. I must say your team is quite resourceful and please collect and compare following details also –
a.Number of doctors beaten on duty by goons from various political outfits in government hospitals in UK and India in last 10 years, and also the number of people convicted for such crime.
b.The Stipend (Salary a post-graduate trainee doctor/intern gets) or Salary and accommodation facilities provided to the doctors of the two countries.
c.The duty hours and working conditions of the doctors of the two countries.
d.The academic and research infrastructure being provided to the medical students.
5. You said that the most brilliant students who take up medicine, should take it only for service to mankind, they should go to other fields if they want to earn. Why? Are we living in imperialism? Are doctors not allowed to earn and spend a good life? You were asking Dr. Devi Shetty whether he can do humanitarian work and Earn at same time? This is like asking Amirkhan or Shahrukh-khan their income and generalizing it for every actor in the industry (Even junior artists). Sir, just as there are only few Khans and Kapoors, There are even fewer Devi Shetty and Naresh Trehan who run their chain of Multi-specialty hospitals spread all over the country. See what it takes to become a doctor and then give such “Geeta-Gyan”.
- 5 and half year of MBBS training and 1 more year of Compulsory Rural Internship at Rs. 15000 – 20000 per month. (Any other field eg. Engineering, Management, a person would become Postgraduate in this much time and start earning double the amount.) If one doesn’t study further, the pay at this step is 22,000 per month.
- After above 6 and half years of Graduation, 3 more years of Postgraduation, followed again by compulsory rural / Government job for 1 year or pay Rs. 25Lac bond.
- If one doesn’t study further, the pay at this step is 40,000 per month.
- After this above 10 and half years, 3 more years of Superspeciality, followed by 1 year of Govt job or a Bond of Rs. 2 Crore.
And the seats are so few with tough competition, there tends to be a gap of a year or two in preparing for various entrance exams.
6.Why only Doctors are being forced to work in rural and government hospitals after their study? Why only we should pay government if we don’t want to do it?
The rural/Govt sector needs help of Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants and MBAs also.
Why aren’t the Engineers sent to rural areas to design and monitor roads and industrials development?
Why aren’t the Lawyers forced to work as Public prosecutors before they can join some big foreign corporate firm?
Why aren’t the CAs asked to work in CAG office and various other government financial sectors before joining Multinational Giants?
Now government wants that doctors should not immigrate to other countries without asking them. Why? Are the IIT/IIM students stopped before they flee to foreign countries for big fat salaries? So, why us? What is it that government of society has done for doctors that they should repay? They bloody can’t even protect them from goons while on duty.
7.You say that doctors are writing unnecessary and costly medications. Do we decide the price of a drug? Do we manufacture or give license to drug manufacturers? Controlling the price of essential drugs is a government job. We are helpless.
Sir, its easy to point fingers. We don’t say that all is well. But all is not well anywhere. Its a different thing creating awareness about dowry or female feticide. But its entirely different to comment on such a technical and complicated issue without getting into the details of it.
You have maligned the entire medical fraternity. For every 10 doctors who are doing wrong, there are more than 1000 healers. You owe us an apology!!! This issue is not as simple as you think it is! Please show stories which are unbiased and straight-forward. You cannot do justice to such an issue, especially after charging a whooping amount for creating awareness!!!
(We hear that Amir has charged 3 crores for episode of Satyamev Jayate in which he spreads the message to doctors that they should not make money and do social service!!! How sacred!!! I don’t know if its true, but well, it’s the season of allegations!)
“We Doctors may be doing little social service, But at least we are not charging for it!” – Doctor
It is sad that pointing out only the culprits by Amir Khan has been seen by the profession that he is blaming the entire profession. As he rightly said as his reaction to these protests, the profession has to look within to clean-up the dirty practices, instead wasting time and energy by accusing him.
Aamir Khan is trying to have discussion on various social issues, which we keep on talking silently in small groups. The platform provided should be appreciated. In today’s episode which concluded just now, the topic was of relationships that are outside the caste, religion, or gotra. He has presented both sides, and so we must appreciate it. There are commercials amongst professionals, the more important thing is as to how we create a proper balance. Had there been no ills , there was no need even to bring consumer protection act to the medical profession.
I completely agree with Aamir sir, good enlightening is done by him on how dirty doctors can be. I think such professionals who play tricks with the patients should be banned from this noble profession.
Aamir khan is just a Good actor,has presented what a normal Indian feels,sees and hears about Medical practioner.
Unfortunately we Doctors cannot be in par with other professionals– people and especially a sick man -sees in us GOD when he is sick, and sees a devil in us when money is to be paid.
We Doctors should try to clean this DIRTY PICTURE, by looking beyond our self