In our country, doctors and nurses are viewed as a reincarnation of God and the medical profession is one of the most noble. However, an experience I had yesterday has put me in doubt.
My neighbor had a blood pressure drop and was unconscious for nearly an hour. Getting a doctor to see a patient at home is very difficult and considering it's a Sunday, made the task quite hurricane. Finally we managed to get a kind doctor Oscar from the village who was on his way to Panjim but took an u-turn and came back to Betalbatim to see her. Getting her to consciousness through garlic and burnt cloth smells was a jolt to reality. The doctor having given the first aid asked to admit her to the government hospital as soon as possible. Having taken her there, I was told there are no beds available in casualty to treat her and she'd have to wait till there is a vacant slot. Old that she was, she could not even hold her head still while sitting and waiting till we get a vacant bed in casualty. Better sense prevailed and I called back Dr Oscar explaining the situation. He immediately made a call to the doctor inside and only then did the nurses relent to let her in. If influence and power could save lives, no wonder the poor and lower class are dying in pain.
On one side there was a Dr. Oscar who took a u-turn and came back to treat a patient, called up nearly four-five times to ensure everything was alright while on the other there are doctors and nurses who need phone calls from higher ups to bring them back to reality. I sometimes wonder what would have happened had Dr. Oscar too turned the other way.
I sometimes feel that I did a mistake not having taken the medical seat I had qualified for ( I chose to study engineering ), and in times like this my mistake seems quite grave.
