By: Dr. Mohammad Aleem, Editor-ICN Group
NEW DELHI: Government hospitals are not so efficient to deal with such problems. In India, only a few government hospitals are there to cater the millions of patients every day in their hour of need and trouble. The rural areas are worst hit.
Kamal Kumar Mahawar, who himself is a medical professional and a Bariatric Surgeon and lives in England, has written this book with much passion and insight against the malpractices of his own profession. No doubt, a doctor can reveal the truth of his or her profession in much more practical and logical way than any other person involved.
I came to know about his book through a Linkedin post. I was surprised to see the brief description of the book. I thought that how could he come to write a book against the malpractices of his own profession. Where he could get such strength and wisdom from?
I wrote back to him to enquire about the book. And he very willingly sent me a copy soon after. As I read it, it not only made me aware about the inside illegal and unethical practices of the doctors and the relevant people, but also made me perplexed to think that how this profession has also become so malignant with the corruption as any other profession in India is.
He writes in his preface:
“I wholeheartedly believe individuals are rarely wrong; systems are.”
“Though, this book concentrates on doctors and the delivery of healthcare in India, there are other functionaries in society- politicians, civil servants, lawyers, businessmen, teachers and citizens at large- who need to similarly evaluate themselves.”
He has divided the book into 12 chapters, all dealing with the different concepts and subjects like the concept of an ethical doctor, cuts and commissions, unnecessary tests and treatments, drug companies and applied manufacturer, exploitation of the vulnerable and the poor, the touts, false claims and the quacks.
Take a glimpse of the blurb of the book:
“In November, 2014, eleven women died in a sterilization camp in Chandigarh. In June, 2016, a seventy five year old man left to die because he could not afford a bribe of Rs. 50 at a government hospital in Kolkata. The same month, a gang that duped women into selling their eggs for surrogacy was busted in Pune.”
I do hope that his book will generate huge interest not only of the general readers, but will awaken those people ethically who are taking this profession unethically.
I congratulate the author for penning such insightful book with a lot of passion and courage. I fear that he might face the retribution of his fellow practitioners for daring to open his mouth against the malpractices of his own profession.
But life is there where courage is as I know and admire.
This book is published by Harpercollins India and can be bought from www.amazon.in.
