Satyamev Jayate – Doctor Bana Yamraaj!

By Fenil Seta -

May 28, 2012 - 10:04 AM IST

Few weeks back, a 24 year old pregnant woman who was hit by a speeding car was denied admission in a popular private hospital of Mumbai because her poor hubby couldn't cough up a deposit Of Rs 25000. She was denied admission in 2 more hospitals (due to other reasons) and finally her treatment commenced in the 4th hospital, after a delay of 16 long hours. But the damage was done. 2 days later, both the woman and her unborn child died. This episode shook the entire city and indicated the kind of unprofessionalism that has crept in the health care centers. Even before this incident came into light, the unethical practices of doctors and pathology labs were known by all. But the fourth episode of Aamir Khan's TV show Satyamev Jayate doesn't only put forward the shocking cases and give an overview of the issue, it also throws light on some of the most much-needed but unknown facets of the medical industry!

From a septuagenarian who unnecessarily had to amputate a finger to a happy-go-lucky woman who was forcefully and needlessly taken to the operation theatre for her liver and pancreas transplant (even when the hospital didn't have the license for the latter) to the women of Kowdipally village in Andhra Pradesh who'll never be able to bear a child to an innocent child who died due to excess vomiting and expensive medicines, the cases dealt in this episode leave you numb, as expected. And majority of the doctors go on doing these shameless acts day after day! What is it that drives them to commit such immoral acts? Sad but true, it's the capitation fees paid during their medical training, amounting to a mind-boggling figure of around 40-60 lakhs, that leads them to get into such acts so that 'recover their unaccounted investment'!

The episode gives a platform to many unsung heroes in the medical field - the silver linings of the dark clouds! First was Dr Anil Pichad, who runs a pathology lab and where you can get tests done at just Rs 50 followed by Major General Som Jhingon (Retd) who put his papers after failing to get things organized and straight in the Medical Council Of India, Dr C M Gulhati who in a crystal clear manner threw light on the causes of such practices (and thereby raised laughs as well) and finally, Dr Devi Shetty who made affordable health care accessible to the masses (and is still financially very well off). Also invited on the show was the chairman of Medical Council Of India, Dr K K Talwar who was grilled by Aamir in an excellent fashion and also revealed at this juncture was that not a single doctor's license has been permanently canceled in the last 4 years, although cases of malpractices have grown manifold. Dr Talwar admitted that malpractices have indeed crept deep into the medical system and assured that he and his team would try their best their best to curb the same.

The financial woes of a family are not over after an expensive operation or treatment. The patient is supposed to take medicines, which usually cost a bomb. However, what was an unheard fact was that these very medicines can be available at a generic store in Rajasthan for 1/4 th and even 1/100 th of the cost! Started by IAS Dr Samit Sharma, the generic medicine stores provide essential medicines at the cheapest rate possible. Dr Sharma shocked Aamir, audience and television viewers when he revealed that a diabetes medicine available for Rs 117 in chemist stores is available in generic drug stores for less than Rs. 2! Believe it or not!

This episode is surely going to have a long-lasting impact because many viewers might not have experienced first-hand the problems of infanticide, child sexual abuse and marriage dowry - the issues raised in the previous episodes of Satyamev Jayate. However, every one of us, whatever be the age, have been subjected to various (useless) tests by the medical practitioners, at times causing deep holes in our pockets. I don't know about others but I am going to get very suspicious the next time my family doctor prescribes me an expensive medicine or advises to undergo an unheard-of test!

Ek Masoom Si Naav Hai Zindagi Zindagi

Toofaan Mein Dool Rahi Zindagi Zindagi

Maajhi Ki Aankhon Mein Jhaank Kar

Kinara Dhoond Rahi Hai Zindagi Zindagi

Zindagi Zindagi...

-Suresh Bhatia

Clik here to Watch the video: Satyamev Jayate: Does Healthcare Need Healing? (Episode 4)