Every one of us wants good health in life and the main pillar for achieving this goal are those doctors who are now not being heard. Health is a public issue and every citizen is affected by whatever is going in this field. Most of the population is dependent on public services regarding their health issues.
In recent times, since the pandemic has started, there’s a lot of discussion regarding the strengthening of health infrastructure by the state and central government. But still, nobody is talking about one of the most crucial factors in strengthening the health infrastructure: the condition and betterment of doctors.
When we think about doctors, the picture that comes into everybody’s imagination is only doctors working in corporate hospitals in a very clean and sophisticated environment. But we fail to imagine the condition of a major section of doctors working in government setups in small districts and remote areas of the country.
Many government-run hospital doctors are working day-night duty in centres that lack basic facilities like drinking water and sanitation. These issues are not new and have been prevailing for long, but the doctors were well adjusted to do their duties in these conditions.
Now a bigger problem has come up due to these adjustments: the frequent violence against the doctors. And even now, doctors are expected not to raise their voice and adjust to the new trend of violence and physical assaults. But the bearing capacity of doctors has crossed the adjustment level and doctors have started speaking up for their grievances.
But, surprisingly, the government and institutions are least bothered to hear about them and their problems. These doctors have always been taken for granted and are expected to do selfless service without demanding anything in return.
We have seen several issues like unpaid salaries, contractual jobs, no job security, untimely increments, PG bonds, heavy capitation fees, exploitation and heavy work duties. The doctors are under tremendous mental pressure and this mental pressure will certainly affect their service to the patients in the long run if the issue is not taken up seriously.
It is high time for the government and institutions to hear the unheard voices of these doctors before it’s too late.