Great Indian Nightmare-Visit to a Doctor More people die of cancer in India than those in the West. And the mortality rate is about the same in both rural and urban India, and therefore unaltered by access to healthcare. The reasons why Indians rarely go to a doctor – whether for cancer or a viral fever – are far more complex. More importantly, we also dont receive proper attention when we do indeed seek medical attention. Here are three other reasons why I as a layperson think we fail to get adequate medical care despite the availability of world-class treatment. One, the disappearing family doctor:Any visit to a doctor requires hours in a crowded waiting room, which is nigh impossible for most busy urban professionals. And unless youve remained in the same city for decades, the chances are the attention you receive will be perfunctory and minimal. Shes extremely busy and so are you. The result: the family doctor has been replaced by a trusted pharmacist. Unless the symptoms look serious, hes the go-to guy for most medical ailments. Two, class matters: It is absurd, to pretend that all Indians have equal access to our world class medical community. Most working class Indians rely on a poorly qualified doctor who can barely diagnose a run-of-the-mill disease, leave alone cancer. Also this: even when there is a correct diagnosis, most urban Indians cannot afford the care. So maybe there is indeed a good reason why poor Indians, be it rural or urban, prefer not to know what ails them. And in many cases, it doesnt matter if they do. Three, a good doctor is hard to find: Yes, we have world class doctors but it doesnt mean we receive world class treatment. There are countless cases where the best doctors fail to make the right diagnosis because they are too busy or just not interested, and more so when theyre big-name specialists. Bigger the reputation, the less likely you are to get his full attention, unless you come with the right references (either...
Posted on: Sat, 10 May 2014 06:15:18 +0000
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