Without hesitation I can suggest that the latest episode of Satyamev Jayate on 27th May 2012, was an excellent piece of research work. Simply superb episode.
Thanks Aamir for bringing to the fore yet another malaise in India.
In my opinion, each one of us will be able to relate to any or some part of the content in the episode.
For those who missed the show, I am embedding the episode:
Just two weeks ago, my wife's cousin was admitted to the renowned hospital in Chennai. My wife's aunty is a widow and the cousin was on a small wage job. Agree, he aggravated his position despite medical advises not to drink alcohol. When they took him to the hospital, as usual, a number of tests were prescribed and performed. The worst part was, even though the doctors knew that he was on last days of his life, they proceeded to put him on dialysis and the next day did a surgery to close a hole in his intestine. The next day (i.e., on 16th May) he died. He was 33 years old and leaves behind his wife and mother.
The total bill came to nearly Rs. 1.50 lakh plus. Each one of the relatives including my wife, chipped in with contributions to pay the bill and take the body out of the mortuary.
What happened in the above case is in my view unfair extraction of money in the name of dialysis and surgery. Yes, there are few good ones in the same hospital, who advised, in private, that there is no need for dialysis and surgery and that the hospital looking to make money just by creating hope of reviving his life, where there was none.
I am just wondering is there an NGO in Chennai can help this widow on this?
Coming back to Satyamev Jayate, first time in my life I learnt that there is something called 'basin tests' and 'generic drugs'. Like me, I am sure there will be so many well wishers who would have learnt about it. Why don't we all start similar thing like Rajasthan in our own states? We need more Dr. Samit Sharmas in each of the states to make medicines affordable.
It was heartening to know that in South India, especially in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, low cost insurance is reaching the lower classes of the society for a cost less health care. I am immensely impressed with Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty and his Narayana Hrudayalaya Group and its leadership in creating this low cost insurance.
Well, I do have question though to the philanthropic partner of Satyamev Jayate viz., Reliance Foundation.
Now that you know that generic drugs can help the aam junta, why don't you start chain stores selling generic drugs all over India? Is this unthinkable? If you can't get into commercial activity, why don't you help war veterans, widows or handicapped to set up such stores??
Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.
Thanks Aamir for bringing to the fore yet another malaise in India.
In my opinion, each one of us will be able to relate to any or some part of the content in the episode.
For those who missed the show, I am embedding the episode:
Just two weeks ago, my wife's cousin was admitted to the renowned hospital in Chennai. My wife's aunty is a widow and the cousin was on a small wage job. Agree, he aggravated his position despite medical advises not to drink alcohol. When they took him to the hospital, as usual, a number of tests were prescribed and performed. The worst part was, even though the doctors knew that he was on last days of his life, they proceeded to put him on dialysis and the next day did a surgery to close a hole in his intestine. The next day (i.e., on 16th May) he died. He was 33 years old and leaves behind his wife and mother.
The total bill came to nearly Rs. 1.50 lakh plus. Each one of the relatives including my wife, chipped in with contributions to pay the bill and take the body out of the mortuary.
What happened in the above case is in my view unfair extraction of money in the name of dialysis and surgery. Yes, there are few good ones in the same hospital, who advised, in private, that there is no need for dialysis and surgery and that the hospital looking to make money just by creating hope of reviving his life, where there was none.
I am just wondering is there an NGO in Chennai can help this widow on this?
Coming back to Satyamev Jayate, first time in my life I learnt that there is something called 'basin tests' and 'generic drugs'. Like me, I am sure there will be so many well wishers who would have learnt about it. Why don't we all start similar thing like Rajasthan in our own states? We need more Dr. Samit Sharmas in each of the states to make medicines affordable.
It was heartening to know that in South India, especially in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, low cost insurance is reaching the lower classes of the society for a cost less health care. I am immensely impressed with Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty and his Narayana Hrudayalaya Group and its leadership in creating this low cost insurance.
Well, I do have question though to the philanthropic partner of Satyamev Jayate viz., Reliance Foundation.
Now that you know that generic drugs can help the aam junta, why don't you start chain stores selling generic drugs all over India? Is this unthinkable? If you can't get into commercial activity, why don't you help war veterans, widows or handicapped to set up such stores??
Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.
Hi Ravi
ReplyDeleteNice post...I am yet to see even one episode of Satyameva Jayate...Posts like these are triggering my curiosity....Extortion in the name of medicine is getting worse in our country! And I have heard of some bad experiences from Ramachandra as well.
Thank you for the post , and the link. I couldn't watch the episode because, ironically, I was visiting my sister, who has had siezures recently, and is, right now, being put through various tests by her doctor. Being unfamiliar with the subject, there is little we can do about it. We don't even realise, most times, that we are being led up the garden path in the name of sophisticated healthcare.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with your predicament. As suggested in the episode, all of us need to go for second opinions, generic drugs. In your current despair, I only pray God to give you all the strength to overcome the grief quickly. Regards.
DeleteA good post Ravigaru. I missed the episode. Thanks for uploading it. However Star is directing the upload to their own you tube upload.:-)
DeleteBTW, in my post Experiments with gadgets,(http://dreamspaces.blogspot.in/2012/01/my-experiment-with-gadgets.html) I had mentioned some unethical practices by doctors whom we know since 3 decades!:-).
I thought the episode was also a smart way to introduce the topic of corruption without getting into the government's face!!!! A good post, Ravi!!!
DeleteVetrimagal-garu (or avargale), Thanks for your comments. Yeah, they are not allowing the embedded videos to be played. That's okay. There is a link which will take us to the original youtube video. I will read the post mentioned above. Regards.
DeleteBhavana, Absolutely. Aamir and his think tank has introduced the corruption (in the name of neeyat or intention). Good job. It is shame that MCI is not moving its feet to curb these malpractices. MCI also has not acted on the doctors doing female foeticide. Why can't we have a an officer of MCI who can take proper control and cleanse the system? Why can't Dr. Gulati be the one???
DeleteRavigaru, Dr.Gulati was the hero of the episode. He made us laugh and think. What spunk :-)
DeleteAdn what was Dr.Talwar doing? Pathetic.
I am not sure about the above mentioned case, but it holds true that there are doctors who try n extract money from their patients....
ReplyDeleteAgree. Not all are culprits here. There are a few who resort to this, especially in private hospitals.
DeleteThis has become business. Students pay huge amount to get the medical seat and they see this as a way to recover the money that they have spent on education.
ReplyDeleteKindly do not take this as refuting your views, but these are just my views on the same -
ReplyDeleteI am not denying that there are a few who do this but most doctors have the patients best interest at heart. You might not agree to it but the fact remains that most of India is being treated at a highly subsidized cost by highly trained doctors in govt. hospitals who are doing a damn good job. This was an extremely lopsided, one track episode of SMJ which fuelled nothing but 'doctors are bad' feeling amongst everyone. Not a single "we had given up but a team of good doctors saved my life" testimonial was presented. That doctors who refused to come back to India because he was asked for cuts....u think that was the only reason he didn't come back?? I doubt it. I personally know super duper specialists who have come back from the US....remained unemployed for a couple of months and got jobs to their satisfaction afyter that. That Army Major whose wife died, I do feel for him but I am surprised why he had to go to a private hospital and spend 8 lac rupees when he is authorised free treatment in a service hospital (which are one of the best in the country) or a total re-imbursement by the govt. if she is operated in any private hospital. That 'good doctor' they showed...of course he has gone commercial too (ask those who know). I am not denying that people go through harrowing experiences during treatment but to leave a residual image of 'doctors are evil' was uncalled for. Misrepresentation and TRP guided episode at the most. AIIMS, LNJP, KEM, LHMC, Safdarjung, Cooper, Tata Memorial, Army Hospital R & R...are doing a fab job (for a salary that nowhere comes close to their peer group in management jobs) and no one talks about it....this is just Delhi & Mumbai...there are many more. Don't give them roses but Amir had no right to generalise and malign them all.
Dear RainDrop, I completely agree with what you have said above (and so beautifully). I just published your entire comment. Also, I read your post in your blog and there also I can see your anguish (again expressed beautifully)and I am completely in agreement with you.
DeletePlease don't mistake me I am not trying to disprove your point. In my opinion, in the show Aamir brought out a valid point which has been so far covered up so nicely. The show indeed showcased two poignant points about Narayana Hrudayalya and the other one on the generic drugs by Dr. Samit Sharma. In the given one hour time, in my opinion again, what Aamir and his team have done is extremely worth the while.
Throughout the programme, it was being mentioned that such malpractices are being done by a section of the Doctors.
Ravi this is a good post & the show was also much needed.
ReplyDeleteit is true that he did not talk of the good docs,barring a couple of them--but the focus was on malpractices in the field of medicine &this topic needed to be highlighted.
Thanks, Indu for your kind comments and appreciation. I wish RainDrop reads your comment. Everyone of us felt that the focus indeed was on the malpractices.
DeleteThere is dire need to have many more doctors like Dr Shetty who is managing so many surgeries, looking after the vast hospital but always seen smiling rarely seen on other doctor's face. Half of the ailment goes with a smile.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Even in the youtube embdedded in this post above, we can see Dr.DeviPrasadShetty's pleasant smiling face. It is a virture and pray god that Dr. Shetty keeps doing all the good things to the mankind.
DeleteSatyamev Jayate is giving every week one social topic to discuss about which is indeed not an unknown one but we never emphasize how dreadful things are happening around us....
ReplyDeletevery well defined Ravi sir ..even i missed this episode ..thanks for sharing it.
Precisely. Before the first episode of Satyamev Jayate was telecast, I was a bit confused with the hype that was created in the ads on TV. I thought Aamir was hard selling his next venture to captive audience. But after seeing the first episode, I can say I am quite convinced about Aamir's intentions. Bravo, man.
DeleteWe all know things are going wrong. All of us think that something has to happen. But as normal persons if we initiate we all know where it will end up. It is good to see celebrities like Aamir taking up the social causes.
Wish other apolitical celebrities like Rajnikanth also joins the fray to propel the fight against malaises that India is facing.
Thanks for dropping by Jasmeet. Really appreciate it. Cheers.
You know after episode 3 , people hv started criticizing Aamir that he is doing this socialite show only for money , he himself left his wife and moved for second lady.....which is indeed a valid point but i don't understand y they r not able to see that he is giving every bit of facility to their children and his wife mutually........
Deleteneways everyone needs a publicity ds nt matter for them if it hurts someone's emotions by criticism!
Aamir is my superhero and will always be...he is just showing the awful reality and its only we together who can give positive execution for social welfare!.....
Well, your superhero seems to be doing great! the current episode is kicking up so much of (guilt) dust, I am amazed.
DeleteI hope Reliance will take your suggestion seriously. That would be a big philanthropic step. In a country where brands are a status symbol, I'm sure the other pharma companies can still survive.
ReplyDelete