A Symptom, A disease and A Nation! part-2
One week later, in the afternoon, I received a phone call, “Hello, is this doctor speaking?”
“Yes, who is this?”
“Good evening sir, I am Aman (name changed) calling from Pandalam Janamaithri. I need to talk to you about Rakesh (name changed) the patient whom you had referred to Kottayam Medical College for treatment.”
It took me a few seconds to recollect the case he was referring to. At first I thought it was some social worker calling from any NGO. Then I realised that it was rather Janamaithri Police; I became alert for no reason.
“Please ask me, what you want to know?”
“Sir, why the patient can not be treated here at the hospital where you work?”
“Because he had told me he does not have any money. Even if I wont charge any fees for my procedure, there will be charges for hospital room rent and medicines. So, the best thing was to refer him to Medical College, where he would get free treatment.”
“But Sir, he is back without any treatment.”
“What? Why so, and how did you get involved in this?” I wanted to know if it was safe to comment any further. Doctors are scared these days to speak casually their mind.
“Sir, we at Janamaithri also undertake social work to help poor people. The case was brought to our notice by Municipal Councillor, Reena Madam(name changed).”
“But, why did he not undergo treatment at Medical College?”
“They advised him some scan and he didn’t have money for that, so, he came back.”
“But, the treatment is free at medical college for the poor patients?”
“I don’t know about that. Can you do something to help him sir?”
“First we need to find out what his disease is, for that I will have to run some tests. Also, he has some secondary infection as well for which he need IV antibiotics and IP care. But, as I said there would be some cost involved. Anyhow, let me see what I can do. Can you please bring the patient to the OPD?”
“Ok, I will do it. Sir, please do what you can. We will try and arrange some funds for his treatment.”
“You please bring the patient tomorrow, we shall see.” I was not sure of what help I could offer other than doing the procedure for free.
The next day when the patient was brought to me, the first question that arrived in my mind was, ‘why did he not get free treatment at the Govt. Medical College?’ I asked the patient and the unrelated bystander as soon as I saw them.
“I do not have any documents to prove that I belong to BPL family.”
“Any document? Aadhar, license, voter’s id, house property paper which may be used with a letter from village officer, don’t you have any of these?” I am not sure about the exact rules and regulations about making one eligible for free treatment at medical colleges.
“I don’t have any of these. We have built a small house in wet land, so village house no. also was not provided,” he looked sorry. The same Councillor who is helping him now had approached with help to get Govt. help to secure house no. and ration card, which he had rudely rejected then stating ideological difference. But now, he was not in a position to reject any help and the Councillor was kind enough to forget the bitter past episode.
“Does your mother have any id card?” the question was a mere formality, I knew the answer. He answered with a shake of head.
“What should we do now?” the police person accompanying him interfered.
“Let us admit him and start the medicines, which is most important. We shall not wait any more, and start investigations immediately. Meanwhile, I will speak to the medical superintendent. Let me see what we can do. But, more than medical I think he needs social help because after diagnosis, again, he may need treatment at a tertiary centre. Without documents, again he will not get any free treatment.”
“We have spoken to the municipal councilor. Madam has assured us that she will try and arrange for aadhar card and an income certificate from village officer as soon as possible.”
“Ok, so we will take care of the medical aspect, you take care of other things,” I replied as I filled his admission orders.
I was accompanied by our senior doctor (who is always more than willing to help poor patients) when we went to Medical Superintendent’s office. Without much effort we could convince him to help the patient in whatever way possible.
All the procedures, investigations and scans were done free of cost. The rest of the bill due, whatever little, was settled by the efforts of councilor and janamaithri police. The patient got symptomatically better, and was discharged after two days.
When we were waiting for the reports I had a second thought about the whole sequence of events. If some one had told me about such a person before this incidence, I might have ridiculed the statement. But it is a true incidence that has not happened in a tribal or forest area; it has happened in a second tier township of a state that boasts of 100% literacy with great civic awareness, and the person stays in municipal limit area. Just imagine how many more (lakhs if not crores) such people must be there in a country as vast as ours! How can we imagine them to prove their identity without any help from authorities and social workers! I realised how important the Govt. ids and documents are for its citizens, especially the poor people who tend to ignore it the most.
I could never imagine, in our society, that a police personal would help a poor patient at the request of a local politician. We always readily read and write so much negative about these class, I thought I should share the positive and bright side of them as well. So often the private hospitals and doctors are blamed for milking the poor patients for profits because the concessions and free treatments which they provide are never appreciated or discussed in public. In this case where a Govt. set up failed to help the patient, a joint effort on the part of many people in their personal capacities is showing the rays of hope for him.
Today, the biopsy result has come. My diagnosis is proven right, and I am not proud or happy about it. The municipal councilor had come to meet me, she has assured me of all the help possible to continue his treatment at the specialist centre in Thiruvanathapuram. She told me that the Aadhar card will be issued soon, and she will arrange a reference letter from municipal chairperson. I gave him a reference letter explaining the course so far to be shown in the hospital.
Hope he will get the best treatment without any further delay, and I will be lucky enough to review him after many disease free years. I pray for his well being not just for his sake, but also his old mother’s sake for whom he is the world.
