Most tragic story in the Annals of Medicine

Most Brutal Attack that can ever happen to a Doctor

This is the most brutal story that can ever happen to a doctor. Dr Sethulakshmi was killed by Mr.Mahesh in her consulting room during hospital hours in Tuticorin. A doctor is the most respected person in the society in countries other than India. During the times of Sushrutha and Charaka, a doctor was considered equivalent to God. A doctor plays the most important part in saving the life of a patient. This belief was still present until a decade ago. Off late, the general public has lost their faith in doctors. Who are to be blamed?

As part of the globalization phenomenon, a lot many multispeciality and high tech hospitals appeared in India. This transition helped the richer class to get luxurious rooms, and other amenities in the high tech hospitals. But treatment was never different between the rich and poor. Both the rich and poor received the same antibiotics, the same surgery, maybe occasional difference in the cost of implants and other systems. This significant change in obtaining greater profits for the hospital management increased the gap between the rich and poor. Unfortunately, the general public believes that all the fees and charges are taken by the doctors, which is never right. The doctors are paid only 1-2% of the total charges incurred on a patient.

The making of a good doctor takes into a lot of effort and hardwork. Firstly, after 12^th, there is an Entrance Exam, which is so difficult that you need to mug up all your texts from 10^th standard to 12^th std. Then the long duration of MBBS course. Passing the first MBBS is the toughest of all exams. The cut off mark is 50% and the highest mark is 60%. So if you score, poor in just one question, you are failed and you lose 6 months. Interestingly, many of our exams are placed from January 1^st to January 10^th. The reason which I understood later is that our teachers believe that as doctors we should sacrifice our Christmas and New Year holidays and learn how to shun yourselves from worldly pleasures.

This is the kind of curriculum for almost 10-12 years of life. 10-15 years is the average time to become a specialist doctor, which is the need of today and the future. The PG Entrance exam is even more tougher where you need to mug up 22 different subjects, sentence by sentence. The financial expenses during this period is also very tough since all the textbooks and study material are really expensive and heavy financial burden is placed on the family of the student. So by the time, one doctor starts his practice he is almost 33-35 years of age. He has lost almost 17-18 years of his youth in learning the art and practice of medicine and surgery.

It is in this context, that such an event has occurred. Dr Sethulakshmi did a brave surgery to save the life of a mother who would otherwise die due to pregnancy related complications. And what she got in return was death in her own consultation room by the victim’s husband alleging negligence.This would be the most tragic story in the annals of medicine

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Also Read:

1. http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/angry-at-pregnant-wifes-death-husband-kills-female-doctor-163503