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Is it worthwhile to visit a government hospital at all?
Written By murali772 - 26 June, 2009
Bangalore governance Privatization Media Reports efficiency public health public health
When the “who’s who” of the secretariat are preferring quarantine services of private nursing homes and corporate hospitals over government hospitals, it remains a complex question in common people’s mind, whether it is worthwhile to visit a government hospital at all.
On June 19, the 23-year-old son of medical education secretary, V Umesh, landed at the Bangalore International Airport (BIA) from New York. He had developed symptoms of swine flu and was referred to Rajiv Gandhi Insitute of Chest Diseases (RGICD).
There were around 10 vacant beds in the general ward. But in the absence of special wards, the attention of his parents immediately shifted to Lakeside Hospital, Malleswaram. After preliminary screening at RGICD, the patient was immediately shifted to the nursing home.
What could be a better reason for Umesh to shift his son from RGICD to Lakeside Hospital other than complete lack of faith in services in government hospitals?
For the full text of the article that appeared in the New Indian Express, click here
In fact, will anyone amongst the PRAJA members ever want to avail the services of a government hospital, even for his/ her servants? Certainly not me. The (dis) services provided by the government hospitals are becoming increasingly costly, in terms of negligence, apathy, mamools (no longer small as the term may imply), fresh infections due to unhygienic conditions, and not in the least life itself on account of all of the above and many other factors. It is time the government re-looked at its role. Check-out this also.
Muralidhar Rao
COMMENTS
a laudable initiative by the government
murali772 - 6 February, 2017 - 14:10
A bill is expected to be introduced in the budget session of the Karnataka legislature, likely to be held in the second week of March, to regulate the functioning of private hospitals and improve services in government ones.
On Thursday , the government asked the National Law School to draft the bill based on the recommendations of a 20-member committee headed by retired high court chief justice Vikramajit Sen. This follows widespread complaints that private hospitals have been fleecing patients. The government asked the committee to submit the draft bill within three weeks.
For the full text of the report in the ToI, click here.
That there was something like this in the brew was reported over two years back (check here). Wonder why it took so long to make progress. Well, at least now one hopes it'll see the light of day soon, and hopefully become the model for the rest of the country, and in fact the world, to follow too.
For all of government initiatives of the recent past, this is perhaps the most laudable. As such, it would do well to pass and implement the bill fast, if nothing else but to boost its otherwise sagging image.
asj - 2 July, 2009 - 11:41
Quick reflection on some issues that have come up. Yes, the cat needs to be belled, but this cat is running amok, first it needs to be bolted. A better anology is that of a wild horse with no reins that needs to be tamed.
I will start with accountability - even a cobbler has to be held accountable - this is more to do with principles of governance. The corporate world uses the jargon of corporate governance. In health sector, the phrase is tweaked and called clinical governance. I have spent dozen years in this profession in India before getting to UK, not once was this phrase ever heard or mentioned. One can imagine thus that actually there is no structure, no policy in place on such matters - its no different from our road traffic which is informed by a rudimentry Motor Vehicles Act rather than something as substantial as the UK Highway code. But again, lack of clinical governance is just as if not more applicable to private healthcare in India - who governs an indpendent GP or surgeon, who inspects their practice - no one (MCI does not even make us pay an annual membership, they do not know if a doctor is dead or alive or has changed residence).
Managers - are welcome, but we will get better results by skilling up doctors with the acumen for such matters rather than having independent managers who do not understand medicine (I say this because poor decisions are made by best of managers if they have no clue of what medicine is about - 50 years ago, one economist studied British rails and found out massive number of lines made no profit - all these lines were stopped - today, 50 years on, we know it was a stupid, costly mistake as cars are not the answer - a purist view of an economist failed UK rail network). Like clinical governance - not a single doctor in India gets even an hour of management training. Having spent almost a decade in UK, I can state that my clinical skills learnt in public teaching hospital in Mumbai are at par with best of trainings worldwide - but I learnt Management only after getting to UK - and there are enough like me, some even more experienced, who will love to contribute to reforming India's health care provided we knew we had a say in these matters.
As for whether there is a sloution - one needs to go back to 1948 and study the politics and history of how the NHS Act was passed - pre 48, UK healthcare was no different from what we have in India today - so there is hope - we only need look around for answers. Interestingly, 90% doctors in UK opposed the bill, by the time of it being passed, 90% had registered as NHS doctors on the simple fundamental basis of being assured an industry standard salary - ask a local GP if he/she will like to induldge in cut practice for making a living or get a lakh rupees a month as ssalary for working honestly - its not hard to guess as we all want to sleep well with a clear conscience.
Medicine is costly - its evolved a lot - as we live longer, the agenda of prevention which is our sole focus can't remain the sole focus. This is why there is an urgent need for reforms.
I won't come back to this again, but those keen on having further disussions on writing a paper which can be sumbitted to local governments, please write a private message.
ASJ
Ironically, it was our middle class educated leaders who got us our freedom.
We could go back to the thread from TS on living in enclaves, not leaving our comfort zones. Middle class India has no time for society and quality of life as we have no social care or universal healthcare. Each of us has to work till we retire to ensure we have saved enough for the odd foreign tour + by pass treatment. There is no time for reforms, there is no time to think about our problems.
In contrast, a small country like UK manages significant number of patents every year. The innovator can sit down and focus on his research........he/she knows the system will take care.....everyone gets a state pension even if they have not worked, jobless get support, everyone knows the same ambulance that may pick up a celeb after dialing 999 will come to their door step with qualified paramedics in a state of the art ambulance in 10 minutes. Sense of security allows for people to play with adventure (read as being industrious).
UK managed a significantly high number of glod medals at olympics.........why........majority were related to water sports............every school kid gets (and 90% go to state schools) mandatory swimming lessons each week as part of curriculum. In contrast the nearest pool in Mumbai where I lived required membership which costed couple of lakhs 30 years ago!!
Mumbai population has grown from 2-3 million to 17 million, yet, only one major teaching hospital came up, the one in Thane, its named after late R Gandhi - so one can guess how late in the day this investment happened. Common Wealth Games Budget of 2K crore is more than that of Mumbai Corporation's health budget (which serves 8-10 million people).
We seem to think we can outsource our problem - Bisleri to take care of lack of water supply, inverters for lack of electricity, poxy third rate private engineering and medical colleges run by politicians because the Govt can't find the money, the middle class can't stand the queue to buy a train ticket....so we got touts and now agents......might as well sell the country.
PSA said it - think of next generations - middle class may go richer, the rich may get richer....trust me, our great grand kids may get lynched, mugged, looted if the poor have no choice but to steal.........we will end up with a mutiny, a civil war....and more.
ASJ
asj - 7 July, 2009 - 14:50
The point is that capitalism has had its succes because of free democracy, these countries are democracies first (not capitalists as being tried to make out). Free democracy killed feudalism (not capitalism).
And anyway what is the point, its so out of context. Bottom line is that significant number of capitalists (if that is what you want to call them) countries have huge investment in socialist agenda.
ASJ
murali772 - 6 December, 2016 - 14:14
Karnataka health minister KR Ramesh Kumar was admitted to the government-run Bowring & Lady Curzon Super Speciality Hospital on Sunday.He is being treated for diarrhoea.
- - - Kumar has been vocal about politicians and government servants setting an example by going to government hospitals which cater to the common man.
For the full text of the report in the ToI, click here.
A fine example set by the health minister, unlike the many others who will never even step into a government hospital leave alone getting admitted into one. Likewise is the case of Sushma Swaraj-ji, who is getting her kidney transplant procedure done at AIIMS, though as a cabinet minister in the central government, she would have been entitled to the best of treatment at the fanciest of hospitals in the world, like quite a few have known to have availed.
But, for all of that, if the government hospitals have to improve their services, I doubt there can be any other option than to go in for PPP arrangements as suggested here, apart from in this blog itself, and here too.
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