Rights activist clarifies medics prescribe as per insurance cover

Rights activist clarifies medics prescribe as per insurance cover

Mangalore Today News Network

Oct 20, 2016: At the World Bioethics Day programme organised at Father Muller Medical College, Mangaluru, human rights activist Dr. Ravindranath Shanbagh on Oct 19, Wednesday lamented that doctors nowadays have become prescribers rather than healers. Dr. Shanbagh, founder of Human Rights Protection Foundation, Udupi,  addressed  a gathering of medicos and faculty on the theme ’Human Dignity and Human Rights’,

He gave clear examples of professionals in the field of medicine, who insist on health insurance cover of the patients before deciding on the nature of treatment. "With this, doctors who were referred to as healers according to western definition 50-60 years ago, have been reduced to prescribers. In the Indian context, they were equated with God, with the saying ’Vaidyo Narayano Harihi’," reminisced Shanbagh.

He also pointed out that it is not only the case in Mangaluru, but also everywhere, where insurance decides the treatment.  Presenting a list of rights enjoyed both by doctors and patients, Shanbagh explained, "While doctors cannot be questioned on certain grounds, patients can question doctors on certain merits. A doctor can be questioned, if he or she is found negligent and deficient in service, guilty of keeping patients in the dark or non-maintenance of records. A doctor can also be questioned if there is suspicion regarding qualification of the doctor, and he/she is not exercising reasonable degree of skill and knowledge and treating without informed consent (of the patient).

"Doctors cannot be questioned, if he or she takes decisions based on established principles, diagnosis based on clinical examination and laboratory tests, therapeutic decisions prescribed in the standard text book to name a few."

Principal of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Law College (Mangaluru) Dr Tharanath said, "Although most people are aware of their duties, they lack basic knowledge of their rights. The rights may differ in the case of ethical, moral and social among other forms, as there is no limit on the concept of human rights."  Tharanath said, "There are, however, several instances of people interpreting the Constitution of India according to their whims and fancy, in the name of human rights."

Dr Prema D’Cunha was conferred the ’Best Bioethics Member’ award on the occasion.  Administrator of Father Muller Medical College and Hospital Fr Richard Coelho, dean Dr Jayaprakash Alva, Dr Princy and others were present.