Monday, August 20

Suffering has no class, caste or gender

On one hand Mobile health clinics are to come up in tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh to make up for the lack of basic medical care in the impoverished regions. Besides providing service at the doorsteps of tribal living in these blocks, the clinics will also render services during natural calamities. Sounds really concerned……..

But, what about the facilities in the capital -Bhopal?

Few days back while I was sitting with my crazy friend, waiting for the other friends to arrive at the newly spruced up MPT outlet Winds and Waves –the most picturesque milieu of the town. I was trying to juggle with the waiter for the order of ready-made tea .a tea bag in lukewarm water with an apathetic waiter was the only preference available.

Before I could even get a chance to ask why so/ I got a distressed call from my school mate to assist her in getting her unconscious mother admitted to a hospital in our own city Bhopal.
She expressed her annoyance for not getting through my mobile and than informed about her mothers accident. Her mother had fallen from stairs and suffered brain hemorrhage. Undergoing an operation to remove clots also did not give her consciousness.

The family wanted her to be relocated to Bhopal Memorial Hospital but the neurosurgeon at the hospital refused to admit her mother giving all horrendous reasons and defying all morals. He dreaded infection to other patients in the ICU, if this unconscious mother of my friend would be admitted. Before approaching me the family had arrange letters from the Minister in charge for the gas hospital, MLA, minority commission head, news paper editor and whoever they thought would facilitate.

Maliha wanted her mother to be shifted ahead of his brother’s departure date for US. The duo wanted their mother to be attended by the best doc and Hospital where facilities existed. Their mother was not being admitted because of the neurosurgeons lame explanation and the PRO boisterous behaviour. In spite of the fact, that the patient was a card holder of the hospital where privileges are given to the gas victims first. Nothing in the world can stop a patient being admitted in a hospital. But not to be understood by the few.

Meanwhile aloo paranthas with curd were ordered which were delicious as the order was repeated. The crazy champ wouldn’t have repeated the order, if the paranthas were not fresh and delicious. I left the restless soul with them and without displeasing others by my unavoidable conversation; I managed to move with my mobile and swung into action. Made calls to few doctors and lawyers for advice on this matter and reached a concord.

Although 9 am was fixed for the meeting in the hospital for us to make things swift. It was also decided that no hard talks, irritation or provocation would be met with, to avoid any kind of kind prejudice towards the patient. I was confident.

My bunch of friends had arrived and the champ was in a nasty mood by then. Steered near the lake and discussed the business plan and ended up listening FM mirchi becoz one of my friend is an RJ who happened to be with us. Some tips for programming and good conversation were chatted about. Finally the ending had to be with good house music for five of us for which my car sterio was used.

Both of us reached a bit earlier to discuss all the relevant details the Doc may ask. Discussed, assembled all the reports of the previous hospital and a NOC the Doctor for shifting her mother. Before approaching him we both waited for 40 minutes outside his cabin. The meeting was successful by gods grace after resentment; I did not loose an opportunity to make him agree to book the bed in the ICU.

It was not nepotism but presence of mind against societal attitude, sedate morals of few doctors who forget the meaning of their profession.