Hyderabad: The suicide by a doctor on Tuesday morning once again rings the alarm bells of danger about the lives of doctors. Dr Karabala Ajay Kumar, owner and managing director of Vaishnavi Multi Speciality Hospital, committed suicide by hanging himself in the hospital.
According to the LB Nagar Police, four persons had harassed him over financial issues. In recent times, we have seen the close down of many a small hospital, the police said. Experts feel this is because of government policies, wherein big hospitals have been given more encouragement, waivers and incentives. Smaller hospitals are better in many cases for patients, especially because they are cost effective in case of minor treatments.
Dr Narender Reddy, secretary, IMA Hyderabad, said “financial burdens increase when external finances are brought in. Pressure further mounts when hospitals are not making adequate revenues, but suicide is no solution.” Many medical professionals feel that doctors hardly get time for themselves. Social pressure on them is high. Doctors should separate their personal and professional lives, and start giving more time to family, besides providing for me-time. Some doctors who start up small hospitals with noble thoughts to make medical services more affordable, but when they fail to earn back basic investments, they are forced to shut them down. Dr Prathap Reddy, president, IMA, said “corporatisation of medical services is the main reason for the churn in the sector. Policy makers are not aware of the goings-on in the service sector. Till 1980s, small hospitals and nursing homes were doing well. We don’t blame the government policies alone. Given that large chunks of our population in uneducated to under-educated, corporatisation in health sector should be discouraged.”
A suicide by a doctor has thrown back the light on a dark area – even doctors are in need of counselling. Society and government should care for its doctors and medical councils must also re-check the failings and traps within the profession.
