Engaging in vandalism of hospital has been a way of seeking compensation
Following a series of unwarranted incidents involving medical doctors, Nepal Medical Council (NMC) has urged the concerned authorities not to take things into their hands should negligence in medical treatment be feared. In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the council, responsible for enforcing ethical medical practice in the country, asked the authorities concerned, including the Nepal Police, not to issue arrest warrants, make arrests or file a case against any medical doctor or health worker over his or her alleged negligence in medical treatment so as not to affect the functioning of the council.In recent years, medical doctors and other health personnel are coming under continuous attacks from the patients' relatives and family member in the event of a death, accusing them of negligence during treatment. This has put the very life of the health personnel in danger on many occasions. Engaging in vandalism of hospital property and physical attacks on the doctors have become a lucrative way of seeking adequate compensation from the hospitals even when negligence in medical treatment was not involved.
There is a law on how things should proceed in the event a patient dies or is maimed or grievously hurt while undergoing medical treatment by a doctor registered with the NMC. According to the government body, the National Penal Code Act, 2017 prohibits the conduct of medical treatment with malicious intent.Should medical negligence be suspected, a five-member investigation committee comprising medical experts in the concerned field as designated by the NMC is to be formed. Only on the basis of the opinion given by the investigation committee can a case be filed in the court by the District Government Attorney's Office.Also any patient, who is a victim of a doctor's negligence, should file a complaint or a FIR with the investigation committee, not the police. Given these provisions in the law, the NMC has appealed to the authorities concerned and alleged victims to abide by the existing laws while dealing with alleged negligence of the doctors.
Treating patients in a country like Nepal can be a very sensitive matter. Not only is the health infrastructure very poor, there is also an acute shortage of health professionals, especially outside the Kathmandu Valley. Moreover, patients are brought to the hospital in their last stages, which makes treatment all the more difficult. Putting the life of health personnel in constant peril will only discourage doctors from being posted in the remote rural areas of the country. Also the promotion, facilities and retirement of doctors in a government health facility should be flexible and not dictated by unions. In a recent episode at the Gangalal National Heart Centre, the union there made a big issue over the extension of the term of a senior heart surgeon upon reaching his retirement age. One must bear in mind that specialist doctors cannot be trained overnight, and it takes decades to train a world-class professional. What would the hospital do without a surgeon had he quit? Let a competent authority like the NMC or the government decide what is best for the medical profession, and not allow politics to decide how it should be done.
Focus on teachers
Teaching is the least preferred profession in Nepal.The most talented people who score the highest grades in school or university prefer to join the bureaucracy, military and government corporations because of the secure job and high perks and benefits compared to the teaching profession in public schools and universities. Only mediocre people take up teaching reluctantly as the last resort after they fail to join government service. That is why the country's quality of education is degrading with each passing year, be it in school or college.
Going by the recent annual results of the XII exams, the government needs to make more investment in the education sector, especially in subjects like English, Math, Science and Nepali, by hiring the most talented graduates for teaching in schools and universities. They will be ready to be teachers when they see better prospects in the teaching profession than in a government job. The government should also conduct a thorough study to ascertain why a large number of students prefer to go abroad for higher studies after completing the plus two exams.Low morale of the teachers and students' preference for foreign education have rendered our education system redundant in addressing the new challenges.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 9, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
