Ban on private practice, weeding out ordinary patients from medical college would add to people’s woes

By O.J.George

If we think on a one-track dimension, ban on private practice of doctors, and driving out of ordinary patients from medical colleges would sound reformative.

Some may even think that these are revolutionary measures which would bring in an egalitarian society.

No doubt, all the ordinary mortals would be on the same wave length of untold misery. Mind you, this is tinkering with the healthcare sphere. After all, any human being has only one life. He or she would like to fetch the best medical attention from the doctors of their choice.

Availability of service is the most crucial aspect with regard to medicare. Till the other day, the medical prescription of a medical college doctor was available to the ordinary mortal.

Payment of Rs 100, or Rs 250 for a call was not that unaffordable considering the fact that the best possible solution to the life problem was being secured by any common man or woman.

The situation in district/taluk hospitals and primary health centres has been dismal considering the non-availability of specialized amenities.

At one go, all those who were getting treatment in medical colleges are being thrown out and left to the mercy of nothingness in district/taluk hospitals and primary health centres.

No doubt, when people find it impossible to get services in these entities they would be forced to go to private hospitals, risking the prospect of making huge payments.

And the private medical colleges in the state can have their way. There is no restriction on them.

Some so-called ideologues are misguiding the government and distancing the people from the LDF government.

The very same government is not extending salary revision allowed by the UGC to university and college teachers.

The UGC is giving the full additional amount initially, and there would be many avenues to fetch further assistance from it or the Central Government if the same is extended to the teachers.

Of course, the retirement age of teachers has to be extended.

Now the government is not sanctioning posts in colleges. Only guest teachers are appointed by the management. Since payment to them is not given by the government, there is no continuity. Quality of teaching will thus go down further.

Things are going from bad to worse in the health and education sectors.