Even as scores of doctors and medical professionals are on strike in major cities across the country, a group of experts have underscored the need to bring back the ‘lost’ soul of medicine.
“Yes. We have lost the soul of medicine somewhere in the journey,” Evita Fernandez, Managing Director, Fernandez Hospitals said in a panel discussion on ‘Has medicine lost its soul?” organised by Medium Healthcare Consulting here on Friday. Referring to maternity care, she said: “The C-sections are going to the roofs. We also know that women of all classes suffer disrespect and abuse in pregnancy and deliveries,” she said.
Citing a survey, she said pregnant and young mothers mentioned dignity and respect and their top wish while undergoing treatments.
“We are talking of 26 million births a year. If we don’t get it right there, we are going to get mothers who are emotionally scared with adverse impact on babies,” she added.
Chandy Abraham, Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare Vertical, ITC Ltd, said while commercial considerations could not totally be faulted, they should not trump doctor-patient relations.
Lara Bezerra, Chief Purpose Officer, Roche India, said her company’s focus in India was not only on medicines but also on healthcare. “We want to make some big difference,” she said.
Survey
In a quick survey conducted by obtaining responses from 71 participants in the event, including many doctors from across the country, 82 per cent recognised that there was a problem in healthcare and medicine that cannot be ignored. Escalating costs, problem of buyer-seller relationship between doctors and patients, expensive medicare, insensitivity towards patients, lack of accountability and transparency, among others, were recognised as challenges in the present system.
Ratan Jalan, Managing Director, Medium Healthcare Consulting moderated.