Safeguard the doctors
By Raqif Makhdoomi
“Ye nimoyn doctar’as Nish, ye chu sakh bamar” the line we all say when we see our loved ones suffering a disease. Some are life threating, while some are just mild. “Doctar soub Me gassie jaldi pahan Farq gassan, mee chu sakh azab”. The line that we utter with hope and trust.
Today doctors are playing a very important role. With rising health issues, especially the rise in cancer the role of doctors has become very important. We saw how doctors worked day and night when COVID-19 was at peak. They weren’t able to go home just because the threat of transmitting the COVID to their families after working in hospitals.
Many doctors lost their lives during COVID but they are unknown. Unlike other professions where people who lay their lives in the line of duty they are remembered for centuries. That unfortunately doesn’t happen with the doctors who lay their lives while saving others.
People walk into hospital with the hope of seeing themselves or their loved ones healthy again. People running here and there in hospital shows the hope and trust they have in the doctors. “Doctar soub, me chu kunie shur ye bachavun” the line that comes out of the broken heart of a mother and father, when their only son meets an accident.
The scenes in the hospital are heart breaking but they tell us how much trust we have in Doctors. Despite we know that they can only try and have nothing in their control. But still we look at them with all the hope and trust.
The real display of emotions is seen when a pregnant woman is taken inside the operation theatre. And the family members keep waiting outside to hear good news. Their first trust is Allah and then the team of doctors inside the operation theatre. The father of the woman is the most worried person at that time. But when he gets to know a well-known doctor is performing the operation he feels relaxed knowing an experienced doctor is going to deal with the process.
A human being will be dealing with another human being but still the trust makes things easy. That’s what doctors are a human being we believe can do the expected and sometimes even magic.
Doctors play an important role in any situation. Be it war, disaster, epidemic, law and order situation or any another situation. But till now doctors haven’t got the due credit which is not only a matter of concern but heart breaking as well.
The crimes against doctors are becoming a norm. West Bengal rape of doctor shook the whole humanity. What was done after that? Nothing protests happened and things were forgotten and then everything became normal.
In Kashmir, doctors became an easy target. Each day the videos in which doctors are assaulted trend on social media. The heart breaking thing wasn’t the video but the replies to the video. People used to endorse the violence against the doctors. A video went viral in which a doctor was assaulted by an attendant because his patient died and he accused the doctor of negligence.
The people were heard saying that they were asking from their seniors on phone. People should know they are the junior doctors who have been placed on duty during the night. That’s something they have no control on. We are just stressing the already stressed person. Multiple videos from multiple hospitals went viral in which doctors were seen getting assaulted and some people openly endorsing the violence.
I saw in a X space (formally Twitter) people were endorsing the violence. I tend to ask them a simple question. Will you slap a Tehsildar because he’s dealing with your work? Will you slap an SHO because he’s not doing his duty? Will you slap traffic police personnel because he has issued you a challan? Will you slap a Judge because your case is getting delayed? Will you slap an advocate? Everyone fell silent because they knew he has asked a genuine question. Then I replied to them and said “you all know if we even speak to any of them rudely, we will end up in lock up. That’s why none of you can dare doing so. But doctors are becoming an easy target because they have no protection.
A doctor in the space politely said “Our rules allow us to not to see a patient/s who’s attendee misbehaves. Conditions being the patient isn’t a serious case. But we never refuse to see a any patient”.
Becoming a doctor isn’t an easy job. Cracking NEET and then getting the stream you want to get into isn’t an easy job. As soon as the course begins free time becomes a luxury. They sometimes have to be in lab or sometimes in the hospitals as interns. It takes immense of hard work to actual become a doctor. Which most of the people don’t know and don’t recognize.
A young doctor Dr. Tariq ul Islam, an intern at SKIMS lost his life while he was on duty. His death has shocked his friends who used to work with him. The dreams of his parents are now shattered. Becoming a doctor isn’t just hectic but costly. His parents must have invested the best on their son, not knowing that they will have to bury him young and with the dreams. His death has triggered anger and debate on working hours of doctors. He had been suffering from flu for the past several days, reportedly continued to attend his duties despite illness.
Doctors believe he may have succumbed to viral pericarditis. His sudden death has left colleagues and the wider medical community in shock, prompting conversations about the pressures and workload young doctors face during their internship.
The demand for reducing the working hours of interns and senior residents is increasing. Social media users have expressed angry and regret over the incident.
Dr. Tariq’s friends on social media describe him as living person and a person with good health. His martyrdom should serve as an eye opener to people that how doctors serve people even without caring about their own wellbeing. Dr. Tariq wasn’t allowed a leave even though he was not doing well.
Let’s hope things for inters, senior residents and doctors in general get better.
I pay my homage to Dr. Tariq ul Islam for his tremendous service, where he laid his precious and valuable life. Rest in peace doctor.
