This is where I sit (point to his seat in Lok Sabha) I wasn’t here for some time. I was struck by cancer for the second time in the last three years. I did not listen though God summoned me twice. I want to bring certain issues to your notice.
Ma’am Speaker
The doctor will prescribe a host of tests if an ordinary person with chest pain reaches a hospital and direct him to go to a lab either in the town or a nearby place because machines at the hospital are not working.
If we enquire, we will learn that these labs are run by doctors and traders. Once you return to the doctor with the test results from these labs, the doctor will say ‘you have blocks in the heart and must put stent’. The ordinary person has no idea of the cost (of stent). The cost ranges from Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,00,000, it is said.
Medicines prescribed by doctors are not available at Government hospitals. And even if available, they will not give them. But they will be available only at nearby medical shops. It should be inferred that this is a game played by colluding hospital authorities and pharmaceutical firms.
Another important issue has to be pointed about big corporate firms renting out big buildings, starting hospitals and then instructing doctors to ensure 500 heart surgeries, 200 angiograms and so many dialyses, all expensive procedures, in a month.
Do medicines have quality like before? We should verify whether drugs banned abroad are being used in our country. I say all this because I have been wading through cancer in the past three years.
I have gathered much experience. I subjected my wife to a mammogram test while I was in hospital. She was also diagnosed with cancer. She was cured because it was detected early. The Centre should make available to the common people facilities for mammogram and dialysis for free in rural areas.
I went to All India Institute of Medical Sciences when I had a relapse and was treated by Dr Lalit Kumar. I learnt that treatment costs are beyond patients who seek treatment at AIIMS.
This should change. There are several Government hospitals in Delhi and several Government hospitals are located at various other places. But the hospital working gets limited to 8 am-4 pm. Such hospitals should be converted into speciality centres, either for cancer or cardiac treatment. This would be of immense benefit to people.
The rich thrive but many without money for medicines perish. God gave me this disease so that I could speak on behalf of the poor (in Parliament). I am a first-time MP. We should not while away time by Opposition blaming the Government and vice versa. People gave us a big majority and put us on flights to Delhi not to create noise in Parliament. Instead, do all that is possible for the people.
Instead of peeping into the neighbour’s kitchen, the Centre should take the initiative to end the exploitation in the health sector and equip hospitals to function in a way that benefits the people
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