New Delhi: Dr Mahesh Sharma, former Union Minister and Healthcare entrepreneur, said media, patients, bureaucrats, advocates and politicians all are up against doctors. The time may not be far away when Ambulance chasers start stalking them in India.
Dr Sharma was addressing doctors on the occasion of 105th foundation Day of Delhi Medical Association (DMA). Dr Sharma said, ‘We are under intense scrutiny unlike other profession. We are haunted. There is urgent need for us to be united to face the impending crisis medical profession is going to confront. Ambulance chasers are soon going to be reality.’ Ambulance chasers are lawyers that follow ambulances to the emergency rooms of hospitals to find clients who might want to seek damages from doctors.
Dr Sharma was far from being preachy as is the wont of a politician and got real ditching the political correctness for the moment. It was the doctor and the healthcare entrepreneur in him who was speaking. Identifying totally with the angst of his fraternity, he said he is a doctor before anything else. He felt bad in parliament when he heard bad things about our fraternity and many a time would pick up argument on behalf of doctors.
Without mincing words, Dr Sharma demanded to know ‘why only the fees of doctors are being regulated, why not that of other profession, why philanthropy is only expected from doctors. If government could do the needful for healthcare where was the need for private sector?’ It is to be noted that doctors are demanding revision of CGHS rates and packages rates of Ayushman Bharat. It is due to abysmally low rates of packages that private hospitals seem reluctant to be empanelled for the biggest government funded health protection scheme.
Before him, Dr Girish Tyagi, President, DMA, exhorted his fellow brethren to measure up to the expectations of people. He also raised the issue of rates of CGHS in hospitals, the revision of which is long overdue. He said DMA has an important role to play for keeping people of Delhi healthy. Dr Tyagi added that a slew of health awareness programs are in the pipeline. He said DMA is a queer case of son being older than the daddy. IMA, which is a national body of doctors, came into being much after DMA.
Dr Mahesh Verma, Vice Chancellor of IP University and formerly the principal of Maulana Azad Dental College, also echoed the views expressed by Dr Mahesh Sharma and exhorted them to be united. Dr Ashok Rana, DHS, Delhi also graced the occasion.
On this occasion, DMA honoured Presidents and Secretaries of IMA local branches and best workers from each branch for their contribution in the medical field along with other medical luminaries for their outstanding work. It was preceded by Dr S.K. Sen Inter Medical College Debate Competition and scientific session.
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