Private practising doctors not fighting the havoc of Corona –why?

When the doctors, nurses and other medical and paramedical staff from all over the world are working at front foot to fight the deadly corona virus, where all the private practitioners (doctors) have gone? Should they have disappeared like this in such a difficult time? The patients have been paying mouth-watering fees to these private practitioners. But when the country and society needed them the most, they have hidden in their houses.

Have they also got orders to keep their clinic closed due to the lockdown? Needless to say that in such emergency conditions the need of the doctors is the most to serve mankind. But these private practising doctors have left the field. If we see around us, we will find that all the private practitioners are missing closing their private clinics and hospitals.

At the end of the day, we see that only government doctors are on the forefront to serve the people in such an emergent situation. Although it is also true that there is no dearth of such people who have been criticizing these doctors.

There are some serious situations in the medical profession that cannot be avoided like delivery of a child, heart attack, brain tumor, dialysis and many more. These doctors have perhaps forgotten that to make these people a doctor, the country has spent plenty of its money and it becomes their moral duty to serve the people in such an emergent situation.

These private practitioners have been leading a luxurious life style due to their huge earnings through this profession. Now when the country needed them, they are escaping from performing their duty of a doctor. On the other side, the government hospital doctors have been working for 12-14 hours daily without any lapse. The nurses, attendants and other staff of the hospital are also working without bothering about their service conditions and time slot.

The private practising doctors who have been hiding behind their closed doors of houses perhaps never realize that the police and other armed forces perform their duties in most unfavourable conditions. Many of these brave policemen have lost their lives while serving the country and society. They are no less than our army and paramilitary forces who are manning the Indian borders by putting their lives in danger. Similarly the doctors’ profession is also very challenging. They are made to serve the people during spread of pandemic and other type of illness and diseases.

This is a very crucial time when all people including the vegetable vendors, milkmen, medical shops (chemists) and others are doing their job well so that common people should not suffer during the spread of pandemic in the world. Are these people not exposed to the danger of this virus? Yes they are. Then why these private doctors are not coming out to serve the society, and the country.

The government should issue an order in which these doctors should be asked to report immediately to the nearest government hospital so that they can help other doctors and staff in combating the Covid-19. In case of any dereliction of duty found at their end, the government should cancel their license with immediate effect.

This is the high time for these doctors to improve their image in the eyes of people. If these doctors do not come forward, the people might take it for granted that the allegations, leveled against these private practitioners of grabbing money from patients in distress, were true.

Do not forget that the government hospital doctors are the real heroes who have been serving the mankind in such a crucial time. The people take the doctors of government hospitals as their God because they keep serving the people in distress and illness even during adverse situations. The other staff of the hospital viz., nurses and paramedical staff, all work shoulder to shoulder to help mankind in these government hospitals and dispensaries.

(The writer is senior editor and columnist )