REEL HEROES Vs REAL HEROES

The old adage “All that glitters is not Gold” is particularly relevant in current era of media domination where media projection shapes the perception and may defy the reality. Media has dominated our lives and can sway the opinion formation of masses. Written media, television, social media can collectively influence the mass opinion.

Society, in general, needs to be wise enough to realize the importance of getting rid of these blinders in real life . One such factor that causes an illusional mist in the thoughts of masses is projection in films. They create a mirage of illusional glitter wherein there is blurring of real life from the reel life of heroes. The larger-than-life unreal persona of the celebrities on screen looks too charming and sometimes becomes undeniable and dominates mind of masses. The super-human characters played out in films appear to be real. The problem arises when the imaginary characters of the reel life stories are emulated in real life. Individuals as projected character fill in peoples’ imagination and are perceived as real and becomes ingrained in mind. The naivety of masses to perceive the projected character as real one goes beyond a reasonable thought process and imagination.

These roles played in films are not really act of inspiration in real life as the actual purpose accomplished in the end of a movie is entertainment of society and business for themselves. A recent candid admission by the actor Mr Irrfan Khan that film stars should not be role models was impressive (Hindustan times) .

At the best, a particular projected character (and not individual acting star) may be a role model. An actor or super star, is simply doing his work of “acting” in the end. This work of acting may bring an entertainment of few hours at the most.

One cannot stray away from the wisdom to choose between what we consume merely for our entertainment and what we believe or face in real life. One needs to differentiate between rationale truth behind the celebrity gimmicks in the media and exaggerated sensationalism. Sensation created merely for a commercial successful venture should not be allowed to overpower the judgments of real life.

But the problem starts, when these false perceptions created merely by a projected glimmer takes the shimmer away from the real worthy. The real professionals and people who are worthy of glory become invisible behind the glittery mist, a haze, which is unreal and unhelpful in real life.

A soldier contributes to our society much more in real terms. Even a junior doctor saves many lives in a day in emergencies as compared to work of a superstar in films. A teacher, nurse or scientist have contribution which is more fruitful to our generation. Also the scientists, who contribute immensely and bring about the real change in our lives. Their contribution is huge to our society and much more than doing just acting on screen. The reel actor merely imitates the real life lived and actual work done by real heroes like soldier, doctor or teacher. Someone who only acts and behaves like one, is respected and paid thousand times or more than the real one. In reality, people need more than mere entertainment and reel role models and actors in their real lives.

Compare the trivial amount of remuneration, fame and respect the real worker gets as compared to the film stars, who merely imitate their actions. Reel projection for purpose of entertainment is more easier to enact and more profitable than actual performance in real life. It is easier to become a reel hero, as it requires little hard work or just connections to get an opportunity. Some one can be a reel hero just by dynastic factor easily. Hard work is definitely required but that may or may not be prerequisite.

Even good films may raise some social problem, which everyone knows already and offer no practical solution in reality. Therefore what good it brings to the public, beyond entertainment, is any body’s guess. The persona, actors usually project on screen, may actually be far from his or her real personality. In most of cases, what he does in movies and reel life, is actually away from possibility of real life . But strangely in present era, people lose sight of what is mere perception. It is clearly a story, tale, a drama, a myth and is not the real identity of the people, we see on-screen.

In present era, real contributions by people, who are saviours of human life and the real heroes, remain unappreciated. People are so besotted by fame and money that they fail to appreciate the sacrifices made by real heroes. Filmy super hero just imitates a doctor, soldier, dacoit or a street hooligan and just pretends to be one on the screen.

But there are real life heroes that exist around us. Doctors awake at night saving lives every minute or soldier in freezing cold are worthy of more respect and are real heroes. And it is up to the society to look beyond the superficial and reel story, and focus on the real life actors. There has to be an true effort to make, respect and appreciate real heroes.

Point to ponder is that whether society needs people just acting like doctors, soldiers and not the actual and real ones, who saves lives. Does Society need only entertainment, because respect which is paid to someone who is just an actor, is not extended to real doctors, soldiers or other altruistic professions.

A reel hero who acts like a soldier, is famous and richer and than the actual soldier, who dies unnamed and in penury. Children of today’s times will strive to become, who is worshiped and paid respect by society and therefore will prefer to become reel heroes.

A society truly needs the real people, who work and act for them, more than just entertainment. It will need total change in attitude of people to deconstruct the perceptions, which are based on mere projections and are away from reality.

It is time to recreate and worship real heroes, who have become invisible behind the glittery mist.

Society needs to envisage the bigger real picture, and should not be mistaken for another projected story.

The perception of the projection will decide, what does the society actually need- or desire-or deserve , “Reel Heroes or Real Heroes”.

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October 20, 2021 0

Medical Education- a business: Supreme Court

The medical profession and education have become a business and now the regulation of medical education has also gone that way which is the nation’s tragedy, an anguished Supreme Court said on Tuesday, giving one chance to the Centre to put its “house in order” and take a call on reversing the changes made to the NEET Super Speciality Examination 2021 syllabus.

The apex court was not satisfied with the justification given by the Centre, National Board of Examination (NBE) and National Medical Commission (NMC) on making the last minute changes after the notification for examination was issued in July.

“This is how botched up our education system has become,” it said.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and B V Nagarathna in an over two hour hearing gave time to the Centre, NBE and NMC to come up with a solution by Wednesday morning and said it will continue hearing the matter to avoid any prejudice to the young doctors.

“This matter is part heard and you can still put your house in order, we will give you time until tomorrow. We will not adjourn the part heard matter now as this will only cause prejudice to the students but we hope better sense prevails. If there is a sense of obduracy, then we are armed with law and they are long enough to reach out to the obduracy. We are giving you one opportunity to reform,” the bench said.

The top court was hearing a batch of pleas of 41 Post Graduate doctors and others who have challenged the last minute changes made to the syllabus after the notification for examination was issued on July 23 for the test to be held on November 13 and 14.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said the court should not get the impression that the last minute change in syllabus was done to fill vacant seats in private colleges and they will try to persuade the court to dispel this notion.

“We are getting a strong impression that the medical profession has become a business, medical education has become a business and the regulation of medical education has also become a business. That’s the tragedy of the nation,” the bench said.

The authorities should show some concern for the students, as these are the students who do not start preparation for these course two or three months in advance but right from the time they join a Postgraduate course, they aspire for a super speciality, which requires years of commitment, it said.

The government has to balance out the investment made by the private sector in these medical colleges but it should equally think in the interest of the medical profession and the interest of students, the top court said.

“The interest of students must weigh far higher because they are the people who are going to be a torch bearer of providing medical care and it seems perhaps we have forgotten them in the whole process,” it said.

The top court said that prior to 2018, 100 per cent questions came from the feeder courses; from 2018 to 2020 there was major modification under which 60 per cent marks were from super specialisation and 40 per cent from the feeder super specialisation courses.

“Now what is sought to be done is one hundred per cent questions will be from primary feeder speciality which is general medicines. It is completely overlooking the facts that you are fundamentally changing the examination pattern and you are doing it for an examination announced to be held in November, 2021,” it said.

The bench added that NBE and NMC are not doing any favour in asking the court to push back the examination by another two months.

It told Bhati, “It does not matter as these doctors will join the Super Speciality courses two months later, so long the seats are filled up it does not matter. This shows us the length to which your clients are willing to go to ensure that seats are filled up. Nothing should go vacant”.

Bhati said that seats going vacant is not the only consideration that has weighed on experts but it is the comparative opportunity and comparative ease which will be in larger public interest of the students that has weighed with the experts.

The bench said, “So what really happened is this for all specialisation of super speciality, starting from critical care medicines, cardiology, clinical haematology and other courses the specialisation is only going to be and the examination will be on general medicines.”

“The idea is that general medicine has the largest pool, the largest group in PG, so tap and fill up the vacant seats. That seems to be the logic behind this, nothing more and nothing less”.

The top court said, “You may have a rationale; we are not saying you may not have a rationale. The question is that all changes, which you have brought has caused serious prejudice to the students. Problem is that you didn’t plan for the future. You did not have a vision and all that you do is that just because you have a certain degree of authority you will exercise it in whatever time you want”.

Don’t treat young doctors as football in power game, says Supreme Court on changes in syllabus

The bench asked Bhati and senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for NBE, what was the great hurry to do it for this year as heavens would not have fallen except for the fact that some 500 seats would have remained vacant in some private medical colleges.

On September 27, the top court said, “Don’t treat young doctors as football in the game of power,” and warned the Centre that it may pass strictures if it is not satisfied with justification for last minute changes to the syllabus.

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October 8, 2021 0

Want to be a doctor? Medical Middleman may get you killed

Increasing murderous attacks and assaults on doctors is worrisome, an indicator of a lawless, uncivilized society, poor governance and broken health system.

Think of a profession, where a brilliant student studies hard for 10 to 15 years, does day and night duties, save innumerable lives. Start earning pittance and get conveniently labelled as thug, thief and butcher by Medical Middleman. These brilliant doctors can be abused, assaulted and dragged to courts with impunity. They have become sitting ducks for punishments and physical assaults or can get killed because of instigation created by MEDICAL MIDDLEMEN.

Role of media, celebrities, film stars and prominent personalities in spreading the hatred against the medical profession and creating an environment of mistrust is unpardonable.

Who are these Medical middlemen? How they have benefited enormously by using one single selective negative narrative?

All those, who with some clever tricks, have placed themselves between doctor and patients. They earn money by promoting mistrust between the two actual stake holders. These Middlemen have no stake, but still want to get benefited by stroking emotions.

One poor outcome out of millions lives saved, is enough for these opportunistic parasites to portray whole medical community as dystopian one.

Most important of these Middlemen are the ‘Reel heroes’ who in a quest to be projected as Real heroes, got placed themselves between doctor and patient by airing vague narratives. By self-appointing themselves as custodian of health of masses, ‘the Reel heroes’ and celebrities gave true meaning to their work of ‘ACTING’ that otherwise was no more than a trifling entertainment.

Media and many celebrities have used fear in public mind to garner accolades and money for themselves, but at the same time created paranoia in minds of people against medical profession. And when masses worshipped ‘the Stars’ as their true well-wishers, they aired advertisements to sell tobacco, soft drinks, junk foods and other sweet poisons to public and children.

Media and celebrities made money and fame by riding on the vulnerability of medical profession. By winning the faith by demonization of doctors, all these middlemen sold their products, news items shows and created a brisk business.

Words used cleverly by such middlemen are ‘Few Doctors’. What majority of other doctors do to save millions was not of much concern and consequence. Public would not know, how to differentiate good or bad ones.

But this was merely a posturing on television; to be a Real hero, actually signified nothing for those unknown ‘Few doctors’, but the denigration of medical profession and attempts to belittle the whole doctors’ community was full and complete. The mistrust generated and demonization of the real well wishers of the patients was irreversible.

These middlemen instigated masses against health care workers by their acidic comments and vitriolic spewed venomous words.

The consequence was the loss of trust on their doctors, the only ones, who were in position to help patients in the emergency situations. The taunts and torment on doctors multiplied manifold in many forms verbal, legal, abuse and physical assaults.

These MEDICAL MIDDLEMEN, with distorted projection earned huge accolades and money, but they promoted feelings of enmity or hatred between doctor and patient.

The aspiring doctors need to know the media role in today’s times. They would carry the image, whatever media projects. A clear understanding in required, before they sacrifice their youth and life without knowing what is in store for them at the end of the long tunnel of study and training.

Students while choosing medical career, should take a well informed decision before entering this profession, which is dangerous to doctor themselves even when discharging their duties in the best manner.

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June 4, 2021 2

Allopathy-Ayurveda debate: Media’s Misplaced priorities

The doctors, nurses and healthcare system have been relentlessly hauled over the coals for last one year and further battered emotionally by the cruel adverse media insinuations and taunts. At the peak of pandemic, when the powerful media should be discussing the core issues to control pandemic; issues like oxygen supply, vaccination and improving the health infrastructure, it has found more interest in a futile Allopathic-Ayurveda debate. Even if someone wants to start this kind of discussion, media should have shown more wisdom not to make it a dominant issue. There are more important, urgent and pressing issues where media can play a vital role.

By many media narratives, an impression is being fostered that doctors have made a mess and forfeited their moral right to treat. Suggestions of ineptitude were gleefully aired, causing demoralization of the warriors, who were immersed in the pool of Covid patients, trying to save them.

Their role should be as facilitators to help doctors to save more lives. One hospital death of out of millions saved, is projected as failure of doctors. They are so distant from the ground reality. To control the health system, media has a tendency to pretend that shortcomings in the patient care can be rectified by punishing the doctors and nurses.

Hence by selective projection the blame for deficiencies of inept system, powerful industry, inadequate infrastructure and poor outcomes of serious diseases is shifted conveniently to doctors, who were unable to retaliate to the powerful media machinery.

The demonstration of the cleft that separated doctors from the actual overpowering controlling medical industry and administrators is not given, in order to maintain the prejudice with its dangerous bias towards doctors, who are in forefront and are visible to public.

Media people, who have never treated a patient in their lifetime, sway opinion and treatments of the millions just by game of projection and perception. The news items and the content are guided by idea of creating sensation in a quest to sell news, be it a selective negativity. Such negative and selective projections are causing discouragement and demonization of the medical profession. It is the biggest tragedy to the medical profession in present era.

Normal treatment of the sick patients is being projected as gruesome atrocity, inflicted by doctors. Media could have done better in helping to take off spectacles fogged with bias against doctors and recognizing them as real saviours, just as deserving of justice.

National Media could have helped, had they fueled the right and constructive discussions. The TV channels could have countered the pandemic with better imagination, sobriety, and exemplary performance rather than creating sensation by cynical and futile debates, which are absolutely inappropriate at this time.

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May 30, 2021 0

REEL HEROES VS REAL HEROES in PANDEMIC

There has been frequent attempts by REEL HEROES and celebrities, to projected themselves as Messiah for the cause of patients. By self-appointing themselves as custodian of health of masses, ‘the Reel heroes’ and celebrities gave true meaning to their work of ‘ACTING’ that otherwise is no more than a trifling entertainment.

An anecdotal episode of adverse event or poor prognosis was enough to be used as an illustration to portray whole medical professionals as dystopian community but what remained invisible to all was the fact that every day in hospitals, thousands of lives are salvaged back from the brink of death.

But the actual bargain was an attempt to project Reel heroes as Real heroes and vice versa.

Media and many celebrities have used fear in public mind to garner accolades and money for themselves, but at the same time created paranoia in minds of people against medical profession. And when masses worshiped them as their true well-wishers, they aired advertisements to sell tobacco, soft drinks, junk foods and other sweet poisons to public and children.

There is an eternal, latent vulnerability that intrinsic in the way doctors’ work and has potential to make them sitting ducks for harassment and punishments. It was easy to discern that vulnerability was being exploited and turned more evil, when braided with such insinuations by media and celebrities.

The negative projection to create a generalization in minds of people had been demotivating and demeaning to the entire health care workers. The selective projection had left behind a trail of hopelessness in the mind of people, shattering their trust and instigating against medical profession.

In present era, real contributions by people, who are saviours of human life and the real heroes, remain unappreciated. People are so besotted by their fame and money that they fail to appreciate the sacrifices made by real heroes. Filmy super hero just imitates a doctor, soldier, dacoit or a street hooligan and just pretends to be one on the screen.

Even a junior doctor saves many lives in a day in emergencies as compared to the work of a superstar in films. A teacher, nurse or scientist have a contribution which is more fruitful to our generation. A society truly needs the real people, who work and act for them, more than just entertainment. It will need a total change in the attitude of people to deconstruct their perceptions, which are based on mere projections and are away from reality.

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The naivety of masses to perceive the projected character as real one goes beyond a reasonable thought process and imagination.

At the best, a particular projected character (and not individual acting star) may be a role model. An actor or superstar, is simply doing his work of “acting” in the end. This work of acting may bring an entertainment of few hours at the most.

Point to ponder is that whether society needs people just acting like doctors, soldiers and not the actual and real ones, who saves lives.

Society needs to envisage the bigger real picture, and should not be mistaken for another projected story.

The perception of the projection will decide, what does the society actually need- or desire-or deserve , “Reel Heroes or Real Heroes”.

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April 27, 2021 2

TRUMP BLAMES DOCTORS FOR COVID

Unparalleled sacrifice by medical community during pandemic has not resulted in any enhancement of respect or prestige to the medical profession. It was not enough to stop physical or verbal assaults, legal or financial exploitation. It was sufficient to alter the course of oppression by administrators or moral blackmail by society.

Sadly it is getting more worse. Doctors and nurse have been reduced to sacrificial lambs, that are easily slayed, when administrators tend to put themselves on high moral pedestals.

Financial and legal complexities have been the major side effects of modern medicine, especially for doctors. They are facing complex environment, which are beyond their control. Besides financial and legal complexities, moral dilemmas, facing verbal and physical assaults are creating complex working conditions. Criticized by administrators despite their sacrifice, media insults are adding to their disillusionment and possibly a withdrawal response.

Arm chair preachers would just say “yes, as a doctor, they should do it as moral duty.”

Media and celebrities usually have proudly projected on screen and television that it is right to be disrespectful towards doctors. They have made it appear correct to masses to be disrespectful to doctors. But such news is viewed by medical community anxiously and is definitely a poor advertisement for younger generation to take medicine as profession.

As incidents are widely publicized and masses following their “Reel Heroes” and celebrities to insult medical profession.

Disrespect and media insult by celebrities towards a profession as a normal routine and perceived as an easily do-able adventure to gather populism.

On the night of October 24th, President Trump addressed his supporters at a Wisconsin rally, located just minutes from a temporary COVID-19 field hospital, making the argument that doctors at the pandemic’s front lines are falsely capturing COVID-19 cases in order to profit from the pandemic. Undermining his own scientific experts was not enough to dispute the severity of the crisis. Now, he desperately suggests — “I don’t know, some people say…” — that America’s most trusted professionals are fabricating the rising coronavirus case numbers of the current “third spike” for personal financial gain.

Trump’s wrong insinuations

As doctors we are outraged by Trump’s gutless insinuations. We’re not alone. The American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, leveraging the voices of over 800,000 American physicians, have each castigated Trump for his callous allegations.

The mere implication that health care professionals would be incentivized by profit to alter the true rate of this public health pandemic is reprehensible. Here’s why:

We struggle to contain the losses — and we continue to lose our own. For months, we have worked tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID-19. As we approach a quarter of a million deaths nationwide, we cannot forget the 1,700 of our own health care colleagues among that number. We are the teams that care for everyone, day and night, as we risk our own lives for the benefit of our communities. Unsurprisingly, we are burnt out. These last seven months have been a marathon in resilience, frustration, and fear.

Here’s the truth: We label patients with COVID-19 because accurate identification of this disease is essential so we can track cases to take the quick action necessary to prevent further spread. If a patient has a history of heart disease or other medical problems, and dies in the hospital with COVID-19, we know that coronavirus exacerbated that underlying condition — and their demise. It is accurate and in line with public health principles to list it as a cause of death.

We face historic furloughs, layoffs and pay cuts.

Here’s what’s worse: the assertions that doctors are profiting off of the pandemic are completely baseless and could not be further from the truth. Physician practices are not immune to the economic losses Americans are experiencing. One in five American physicians, whether salaried or in independent practice, have experienced pay cuts during the pandemic. Hospitals and physician practices have had to implement furloughs and layoffs to stay afloat, including furloughs at 35% of all primary care offices. More than 16,000 — or 9% — of independent physician practices have had to close entirely.

More recent estimates suggest that hospitals, thanks to the loss of elective surgeries during pandemic spikes, will face over $300 billion in lost revenue this year alone. And this is all happening while physicians report working more hours this year — amid more uncertainty about the future of their profession.

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We still work in unsafe conditions, without the equipment needed to protect us — and you. In the spring, the images were indelible: N95 masks being reused for days on end, while nurses were covered in trash bags as a proxy for PPE. Across the country, hospitals, clinics and state agencies bid against each other for what few PPE supplies existed. All the while, President Trump accused health care workers of hoarding PPE and other medical equipment. He blamed health care workers for shortages across the nation, when the root cause of that unfolding tragedy was his administration’s unwillingness to enact a national and comprehensive strategy.

Fast forward to today, where many healthcare workers still do not have adequate PPE and continue to reuse masks, gowns and gloves meant for one-time use. This could have been easily addressed by now, had President Trump fully activated the Defense Production Act to speed up and nationalize PPE production, a request he consistently refused.

The long road of COVID ahead

We see no end in sight. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows made it clear: the Trump administration has given up trying to control this pandemic. While they wave the white flag in hopes of therapeutics and vaccines becoming available in sufficient quantities for all Americans, hundreds of thousands more are projected to die.

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The new “medical swamp” narrative emerging from the White House, while deeply disturbing, is not out of character for this administration. Since the first U.S. coronavirus case was reported in January 2020, the president has undermined his own health experts and denied the scientific evidence at every turn.

The coming weeks and months will be dark as we continue to experience the repercussions of Trump’s callous inaction, but you have the ability to shape how this story ends. We urge all Americans to elect leadership that is morally responsible, unwilling to allow the political manipulation of science. The lives of the American people depend on it.

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October 28, 2020 2

Are Doctor & Nurses Dispensable Disposables?

It is surprising that doctors and nurses, who can save many lives, have to put their own lives at risk for the want of proper PPE’s. The cost of PPE’s is not more than few hundred rupees. Even such a cheap facility is not available to the saviors for their own protection. Such episodes are not only painful to the medical fraternity but also expose the hypocritical attitude of the administrators as well as the insensitive approach of society towards health care workers, although everyone expects doctors and nurses to be sensitive towards every one. Such incidents demoralizes and causes deep discouragement to the front line doctor and nurses, but sadly remains a routine business for administrators. The pain of being treated like a dispensable disposables remains as a deep hurt within.

10 govt docs, 70 private nurses have quit in Telangana over safety, hospital infra. (Times of India)

At least 10 senior resident doctors deputed on Covid-19 duty at government hospitals and 70 nurses in private facilities have quit their jobs, with most citing poor protective gear to combat the virus as a reason.

While the senior residents said they were dejected with the poor state-of affairs at hospitals and the looming threat of contracting the infection, some individual doctors and nurses took a break from the profession, until the pandemic, gets over. These doctors are from the Osmania Medical College (OMC) and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) hospital Warangal among other government hospitals. So far, 300 doctors and other medical personnel in the government sector alone have contracted the virus, with worries of sub-standard protective gear and long working hours, forcing doctors to even go on strike. Some senior resident doctors deputed from the OMC to the Chest Hospital never reported for duty, while others served for one or two months before putting in their papers. “The problem is not just that there was a threat of infection and we didn’t get proper personal protection equipment (PPE) kits, it seemed like a waste of effort. Even if a patient was dying in front of me, I could do nothing at all,” said one of the senior resident doctor who had resigned from the OMC .

“We didn’t have staff, we didn’t have the infrastructure, we didn’t have proper PPE kits or any other provision required. It seemed like a futile effort,” he said. Despite the guilt of having resigned in the middle of an ongoing pandemic, the doctors said that their presence or absence hardly made any difference to the situation. Authorities ignored repeated complaints It was like there is everything wrong, but no one was there to take responsibility. I felt bad about resigning but after over a month of working and making repeated requests for additional doctors and nurses, there was no difference. It was just a blame game,” another doctor told TOI. From the medicine department at Osmania General Hospital (OGH), six senior residents have resigned, while few others have resigned at the MGM hospital, said Dr Mahesh Kumar, president, Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA). “At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a lot of issues with PPE kits and infrastructure and despite repeated representations they were not sorted out. Most of the residents resigned in the first two months of the pandemic, discouraged by the situation and fearing for their personal safety,” he added. Apart from doctors, 70 nurses who are at the frontline have gone missing from work too. “A least 30 of these nurses went missing from a single corporate hospital. Currently, there is a huge shortage of nurses as most are reluctant to do Covid-19 duties,” said Laxman Rudavath, president, Nursing Officers Association of Telangana.

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July 8, 2020 5

Covid war- unhappy soldiers: says Supreme court

In present era, these are toughest times for health care staff and hospitals as well. Warriors on the front lines are doctors and nurses, whereas hospitals are grappling with financial constraints. What should have been most desirable at this crucial time, was the encouragement and psychological support to these warriors. Administrators were supposed to give some moral boosting and financial support or at least, the rightful, so that health staff should work willingly and inspire next generation for future catastrophe like this. Instead of armchair preaching to health care staff, there should have been robust rules and guidelines to protect health care staff and health systems as doctors and nurses are working under tremendous psychological pressure.

But the desired did not happen, as the chaotic management due to economical compulsions or just trying to be projected as an outstanding administrator turned out to be a real possibility rather than exception.

Moral and legal compulsions thus caused immense pressure on health care workers and they became an easy subject to moral and legal blackmail. The pressure to perform their duties in sub-optimal and below par conditions became a new norm.

Every day when doctors and nurses, while going to work have this thought in mind. But still they continue to work amid their own tensions, worries about families.

The non-payment of salaries, disrespect to health care staff and being made to work in below par conditions, without PPE’s at some places has caused tremendous discouragement to the medical profession.

In war, you don’t make soldiers unhappy, says SC on non-payment of salaries to doctors

The courts should not be involved in the issue of non-payment of salary to health care workers and government should settle the issue, it said.

NEW DELHI: “In war, you do not make soldiers unhappy. Travel extra mile and channel some extra money to address their grievances,” the Supreme Court said on Friday taking serious note of non-payment of salary and lack of proper accommodation to doctors engaged in fight against Covid-19.

The courts should not be involved in the issue of non-payment of salary to health care workers and government should settle the issue, it said.

The top court was hearing a plea by a doctor, who alleged that front line healthcare workers engaged in fight against Covid-19 are not being paid salaries or their salaries are being cut or delayed.

The doctor also questioned the Centre’s new SOP making their 14-day quarantine non-mandatory.

“In war, you do not make soldiers unhappy. Travel extra mile and channel some extra money to address grievances. Country cannot afford to have dissatisfied soldiers in this war which is being fought against Corona,” said a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and MR Shah.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that if there are better suggestions coming forward, they can be accommodated.

The bench said that there are reports coming that many areas doctors are not being paid.

“We saw report that doctors went on strike. In Delhi, some doctors have not been paid for past three months. These are concerns that should have been taken care off. It should not require court intervention.”

The bench further said, “You (Centre) need to do more. Must make sure their concerns are addressed”.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing next week.

On June 4, the Centre had told the top court that a “large number” of make-shift hospitals will have to be built in the near future to accommodate the constant rise in the number of newly infected people.

The Centre also contended that though hospitals are responsible for implementing the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) activities, the final responsibility lies with the health care workers to protect themselves from COVID-19.

It further said mandatory quarantine for 14 days after the duty of healthcare workers of 7/14 days is “not justified and warranted”.

“It is most respectfully submitted that number of cases of COVID-19 are constantly increasing and at some point of time in near future, apart from existing hospitals, large number of temporary make-shift hospitals will have to be created in order to accommodate COVID-19 patients requiring admission, medical care and treatment,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in an affidavit.

The affidavit was filed on a plea by Arushi Jain who questioned the Centre’s new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of May 15 for front line COVID-19 healthcare workers by which it ended the 14-day mandatory quarantine for them.

The ministry in its reply affidavit had said healthcare workers (HCW) are properly protected by Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) in workplace settings and carry no additional risk to their families or children.

It had said grievances raised by the petitioner alleging infirmities in the May 15 guidelines of the health ministry are completely presumptuous, vacuous, ill-founded and sans any empirical or medical evidence.

Justifying its advisory and SOPs, the health ministry said it is a step in the right direction and that the guidelines emphasise the role of taking adequate preventive measures by all health care workers in the hospital setting against the likelihood of contracting infection at their work place.

On April 8, the apex court had observed that the doctors and medical staff are the “first line of defence of the country” in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic, and directed the Centre to ensure that appropriate PPEs are made available to them for treating coronavirus patients.

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Enslavement of doctor and nurses

21 occupational risk to doctor and nurses

June 12, 2020 0

Immunity business in corona times

About the medicines and substances, that are consumed by masses under a false hope of immunity enhancement. Every substance, which claims to alter human physiological functions should undergo strict international neutral trials and not allowed to be sold by mere advertisements.

Tremendous misguidance is propagated by giving a false hope to people of doing some treatment.

Every day we read in media the various pronouncements claiming to enhance the immunity especially in the days of Covid-19. It automatically implied or interpreted that the said product will save the people from Corona and hence a brisk business starts. No one has studied the real effectiveness, correct doses or side effects of preparation in real sense.

A myth, that any plant extracted drug is useful, free of side effects, is a belief ingrained deep in the minds of people. Such unscrupulous advice is followed blindly without even verifying the authenticity of the source. A hope of miracle is flashed to patients who perceive a “no hope” by scientific medicine, are an easy prey for such fraudsters.

Another major problem is that medicines and syrups distributed in such manner often are without name of drug, contents and doses. It is not uncommon to get lethal substances like steroids, hormones and heavy metals in dangerous doses. Such acts are real crime to society, done with an intention to cheat rather than treating them.

Any one selling medicines in name of alternative medicines, food supplements or medical advice of any kind, has to be registered with a council, for those particular medicines. advertisement of such drugs or products should be on some scientific basis and neutral trials.

Most of these are not validated at all by international or national authorities, not even considered as drugs. No impartial, neutral trials conducted about effects, side effects or toxicity. Mere media or social media words, which are paid, are considered as Gospel Truth and substances are consumed by masses under a false hope of immunity enhancement. Most of them marketed as herbal or alternate medicines, which are advertised as harmless but beneficial. They are sold by propagated words of benefit and advertisements rather than a solid proof.

Slowly these medicines become part of conventional wisdom rather than considered as drugs and chemicals or heavy metals. In reality, being a settled medical science issue, it remains a fake news at the basis.

There is no dearth of quacks, who sell unknown and unlabelled substances, merely to earn money, but the dangers of such products are high and unassuming consumers remain oblivious to side effects.

Any substance is considered effective only after rigorous testing through randomised clinical trials and additional laboratory analyses. The substances that are merely propagated on social media or claims of company or advised by quacks will not help and merely remain as part of immunity business. They provide a false hope and thereby earn money because of fear in the minds of masses.

Times of India carries a report about the brisk business being done, while people are looking at ways to enhance their immunity.

Any substance which claims to alter the physiology of a person or patient, cannot be consumed without undergoing rigorous, neutral and international safety trials. If found to be good, all homo sapiens in the world should be benefitted. If not, let the gullible masses not be misguided and trapped into a false hope. There has to be a strict Government control about the products to be consumed, which claim to alter human physiology.

Balancing immunity in Corona times

June 8, 2020 1

Who will treat people in next Pandemic?

Pandemic has unmasked the real risk to doctor and nurses. The occupational risk of being among the diseases, that was known to them, has been unveiled to everyone. That should have generated respect for health workers in a civilized society. What was actually desirable, was the encouragement and psychological support to these warriors. Good administrators were supposed to give some moral boosting and financial support, so that health staff should work willingly and inspire next generation for future catastrophe like this. Instead of armchair preaching to health care staff, there should have been robust rules and guidelines to protect health care staff and health systems as doctors and nurses are working under tremendous psychological pressure.

More importantly, among this chaotic situation, whether rules are being followed or not, how administrators are doing can be at the most a guess work, rather than following a uniform system. The possibility of chaotic management due to economical compulsions or just trying to be projected as an outstanding administrator may be a real possibility rather than exception.

Health care workers can be easily subjected to moral and legal blackmail or pressure to perform their duties in sub-optimal and below par conditions. They can be subject to moral, legal, financial or even pressure of physical assaults. Such pressures can be tremendous in health sector because of financial complexities.

Is the payment made to them is commensurate to the risk to their life and work they do? Who will pay them and how much in case harm or death of health care worker, every one refrains to discuss?

Are they given the real respect, what they deserve and are worthy of?

Every day when doctors and nurses, while going to work have this thought in mind. But still they continue to work amid their own tensions, worries about families. While it is clear to them that administrators refrain to discuss the issues, which matter to them the most.

Times of India carries a report that the interns will be punished, if they become positivefor Covid, while doing duties. Although possibly the circular is withdrawn, but it reflects the deep seated and hidden mental frame of administrators, about the intention, how they wish to behave with doctors. Why such punishments are not for other Government functionaries or officials or even public, who test positive. It is just an example, but there are numerous examples of such kind.

MUMBAI: The department of community medicine at KEM Hospital issued a circular on Thursday asking interns to give a written explanation on how they had been exposed to the Covid-19 infection, after an increasing number of interns went into quarantine. It further said they will be liable to repeat their internship for the duration period of the quarantine if there was any negligence in following “Covid-19 discipline”. The circular was withdrawn within a few hours, after it faced criticism from many. Doctors and students termed the circular “insensitive” and “unwarranted” during a pandemic. Dr Sagar Mundada, psychiatrist and former president of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, called the circular insensitive. “It is a pandemic. Why medical interns should be asked about the source of the infection?” An intern said some of them have been working for three months without stipend while their duty hours have been increased to 12. They collect swabs, blood and insert IV. 6/6/2020 Mumbai: KEM questions interns over quarantine, then backs off – dean Hemant Deshmukh said he had not signed the circular and it will not be implemented. Dr Gajanan Velhal, who signed it, said it was misunderstood. “No such action will be taken against any interns,” he said. Rajvi Bheda, a representative of the Association of State Medical Interns at KEM, said it seemed to be an attempt to ensure interns stay safe. “But it was unfair to the interns too, as it is difficult to identify the source of infection.

As Corona has unmasked the real risk to health workers and society has dealt with heath workers shabbily. Next younger generation of aspiring doctors, who is a witness to the cruelty shown towards health staff, may be forced to think about their decisions to become health workers. Possibly the administrators need to ponder now, who will treat people in next pandemic.

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