Medicos urged to practice medical ethics for improving services

PATNA: Medical Council of India (MCI) member and former head of department of surgery of Patna Medical College
(PMC) Dr Narendra Prasad on
Saturday called medical students to synchronise their theoretical knowledge with practical knowledge to deliver medical services to the satisfaction of patients, so that reputation of medical service itself is restored.

Dr Prasad, who inaugurated the seminar on `Medical ethics' organized by the medical college to celebrate Platinum Jubilee of MCI, was delivering the keynote address. He said that the practice of medical ethics was the only way to arrest deterioration in medical services that was bringing a lot of flak to the medical fraternity.

Pointing out that ancient medical practitioner Charaka had first enunciated the practice of medical ethics in the country, Dr Prasad said that it was based on the credo `Basudhaiv kutumbakam (welfare of all)' and also on "Do unto others what you want unto yourself." The Western approach is driven by consumerism based on Darwinian model of survival of the fittest.

He called upon teacher-doctors to maintain proper interaction with medical students, while the latter should hone their clinical skill and also get properly trained. Dr Prasad, citing instances from his experience and from the life of legendary doctor-teachers, said that doctors should know that they are first teachers and then private practitioners.

While PMC principal Dr D D Gupta presided, the other speakers were Dr Sahajanand Prasad Singh, Dr Arun Agrawal, Dr Chandra Shekhar and Dr Sanjata Roy Choudhary. Convener of the seminar Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad conducted the proceedings.

Dr Agrawal called upon medical students and junior doctors to put themselves in the shoes of patients. "This would immediately improve the doctor-patient relation and also improve the atmosphere in Patna Medical College Hospital," Dr Agrawal said. Dr Gupta appealed to students and teachers to contribute their mite and skill to restore the excellence of both Patna Medical College and its hospital.

Dr Prasad elaborated on various aspects of medical ethics as prescribed in the Medical Ethics Act, 2002, enacted by the Parliament. He also appealed to the MCI to decide a separate yardstick so that medical colleges established before 1934, but afflicted by resource crunch, are assessed and evaluated objectively.

Source : Times of India