At a time when Vijay’s Deepavali release Mersal is mired in controversy with doctors being the latest ones to protest, a daring video of Dr Gurushankar of Madurai Meenakshi Mission, known for his philanthropic works, talks about the implication of GST. The doctor questions why the cost of medical facilities is high in private hospitals and on why our own state heads Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi were admitted in private hospitals and not to government hospitals.
The video is now going viral and trending on online platform. He also takes a dig at the present state of government hospitals. We learn that this video, which in a way is a fitting reply to what Vijay’s character mouths about private hospitals in Mersal, was shot a month ago, whereas the film has just hit the screens.
The video is in the form of a conversation between doctor Guru and a patient, who has visited his hospital at Madurai. When the patient queries him as to why the private hospitals are charging exorbitantly, he said, “Among the four categories of tariffs for electricity bills, the private hospitals come under the highest. Again, when GST was implemented, the cost of medical equipment went high. And we don’t get the taxpayers money as well. Eventually, the expenses go very high in private hospitals. Unfortunately, we are in a situation where one has to pay a price for quality treatment.”
On the quality of the government hospitals, Dr Gurushankar says, “There are highly skilled and efficient doctors in government-run hospitals. But definitely, the hospitals lack good standard. Had they been good, why would our former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa be taken to a private hospital last year? Around the same time, the opposition leader Kalaignar Karunanidhi was also admitted to a private hospital. Why didn’t they go to a government hospital for treatment?”
Dr Guru reveals that government does not give any incentive to those, who build hospitals in rural areas. “It is not practical for various reasons to construct a hospital in villages,” he says.
On the unfeasible education for villagers that prevails today, he says, “Is it possible for someone to study at a village and then clear the Neet and become a doctor? I really doubt it. And the incentives given to doctors, who work in rural areas were also scrapped.”
‘Aram Seidhu Pazhagu’ is the campaign started by Dr Guru, which aims to highlight the importance of differentiating between the rich, and poor, as well as urbanites and rural people, in terms of access to healthcare and the quality of treatment. As part of the initiative, his hospital has extended free treatment to children with cancer or those born with cleft lips and palates.
Throwing a question on the public, he signs off saying, “When you crib that private hospitals charge high, why can’t you ask the government as to why they don’t give us quality treatment? When freebies like mixies and TV are accepted, why can’t we ask them to provide medical care for free?”
