The Times of India today carries an editorial by Mr Sandeep Bansal on over prescription of antibiotics. Although there are few points which may be correct, but the article fails to highlight the basic reasons for the problem, which it was supposed to address.
The reason for failure to find the correct reasons can be the distant analysis. Someone working in London and trying to analyse the grass root problem of India may not be a perfect idea. People need to work at ground level to identify the real issues. Otherwise the analysis remains half-baked and gives a glimpse of the bias, which celebrities use commonly for gaining popularity by finding faults of doctors.
The overall picture has to be understood to identify real reasons and hence the proper solution to the problem. The correct steps taken would settle the issue; otherwise the analytical article would just remain a piece of paper and an matter of discussions for Arm chair preachers.
over prescription of antibiotics
The author failed to highlight the factors like easy availability of antibiotics. People can directly approach pharmacist and get whatever antibiotic they want. Pharmacist can sell whatever brand, doses and kind of antibiotic. The uncountable quacks, doctors of alternate medicines use all kind of antibiotics with impunity. Tons of antibiotics are consumed without any proper medical advice. Self-medication by people themselves, as it is easily available can’t be ignored as an important cause.
The reasons written by the author in TOI, actually constitute a minuscule fraction (5-10%), as far as use of antibiotics is concerned. By writing imperfect article, without knowing actual problems by a distant analysis, such article provides real misguidance rather than actual solutions to the problems.
Someone to do justice to such complex and important issues, one has to work at the place and be aware about real issues and ground problems. Otherwise it just remains a method to gain cheap popularity.
Sadly, in present era, people who do not treat patients, are away from truth, but they can influence the treatment of thousands of patients just by doing an ‘On Table’ analysis.
Wrong analysis, hence incorrect conclusions can lead to wrong decisions.
Advantages-Disadvantage of being a doctor
25 factors- why health care is expensive
21 occupational risks to doctors and nurses
Covid paradox: salary cut for doctors other paid at home
Evolution of Medical profession-Extinction of good doctors 
Shouldn’t have been anonymous
LikeLike
Hi this is Sandeep 🙂
I trained as a doctor in india in manipal university and practiced in Delhi in Hindu Rao Hospital.
I am also coming back from U.K. to India to setup a healthcare organisation to solve these challenges.
I think I am fairly close to the problem but of course I have team members who are even closer to the problem than even me.
I hope this helps?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dr Sandeep..I just want to emphasize that when we analyse such an important problem, the analysis has to be complete and near to reality. The real problem and actual factors as I have mentioned were not even touched upon, as if they do not matter. That way…one can discuss in newspapers, but can not solve the real problem.
LikeLike