The firmness shown by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the MCI which had earned the title, the ‘Most Corrupt Institution’ instead of its original title ‘Medical Council of India’ needs to be appreciated.
Well-orchestrated, organized, institutionalized exploitation and looting of human mind especially when it is weak and hopeless is quite omniscient in today’s medical profession. Although a sweeping statement should not be used to define the entire medical profession, but the vivisection of medical profession in India will certainly shock the humanity.
The sufferings due to various ailments vis-à-vis the state of penury after successful treatment, which one bother the Indians the most if we ask, most would say the later and would even say that they would gracefully accept the destiny’s course than would go to the greedy medical professionals for treatment to make the future of their family pauper and penniless.
Instead of governing the medical education and practice with high level of ethical prudence, MCI seems to have breached all values and responsibilities enshrined upon it, has become the warehouse of corruptions and scams. Therefore, scraping MCI is utmost important and installation of a new mechanism for the governance medical education and medical practice is essential.
The new body should primarily focus on the ethical behaviour of the medical practice. Today the money and not the right treatment or right diagnosis appears to drive most medical professionals in private practice. Unless and until strict vigilance is made over every clinician especially in private practice and strict punishment is awarded instantaneously for the offenders, we cannot reform the health care system in India.
In AYUSH too such stringent measures are needed. Several AYUSH Vaidyas in private practice known to breach not only the ethics but the law of the land as well by engaging in cross pathy. Unfortunately the government AYUSH bodies are least concerned about such breach of trust and professionalism by AYUSH Vaidyas in private practice.
The cross pathy by several institutionally qualified Siddha Vaidyas in Tamil Nadu has virtually impaired the progress and prospects of the wonderful Siddha system of healing practice in India.
The Siddha practitioners in government establishments are doing their best to promote and popularize the system but some Siddha vaidyas in private practice in Tamil Nadu derail the mission and raise serious question over the merit and trust of Siddha system through cross pathy.
Government should create a high power committee or an appropriate body to govern both medical education and medical practice. The medical practice rendered by those private practitioners although come under clinical establishment act, but regular moral and value refreshment courses for all medical professionals alone will ensure success of the mission.
Government must create two separate verticals in our health care system. AYUSH must be brought under health and wellness where pre-medical, post treatment and paramedical therapies should be the primary focus. All AYUSH Vaidyas must be brought under the above para- and pre-medical services and the second one is for treatment of diseases.
The thrust and focus must be given to pre and paramedical therapy system of AYUSH. All essential aspects that predispose various health problems like personal hygiene, sanitation, healthy living conditions, home remedies, importance of keeping mind calm and healthy etc., must be achieved through the large number of already available AYUSH vaidyas to make India healthy. Cross pathy not only affects the relevance of AYUSH but also cause medication health fraud.
Another important change India requires is in the area of drug sale. The chemists must be barred or made accountable for selling scheduled drugs without prescription.
Moral and spiritual education is needed for all medical professional as they are believed by poor people as real God. Once the definition of medical service for both AYUSH and alloapthy is brought and AYUSH service is largely utilized for pre and paramedical benefits and allopathy for treatment of diseases, we can really reform our health delivery system.
Even in far developed countries like UK and US, the services of midwife is encouraged for addressing primary health issues. Most of the AYUSH Vaidyas are predominantly located in villages and regions where poor and uneducated people reside. Therefore the service of AYUSH Vaidyas for paramedical benefits would certainly reduce the overall disease burden of our nation.
Instead of allowing cross pathy by AYUSH Vaidyas, AYUSH vaidyas in private practice must be encouraged for providing pre and paramedical services to the society. Similarly the allopathic doctors must be strictly monitored for their ethical conduct and humane way of delivering the service that they are bound to.
The far reaching wisdom, commitment, passion and vision of PM Modi to reform our health care system have been well received by the global community. Indians will certainly recognize the importance of Narendra Modi continuing as Prime Minister of India in 2019 and beyond where more such reforms will take Indian to new destination to achieve Sab ka vikas.
