The 'Euthanasia' of the code of ethics !

There are some symbols of hope and reason that govern our thinking and decision making process. 

I watched this bird being chased in the tapioca field by rodents and an Eagle, reducing its habitat and freedom, finally having to hide for self protection.  The law of the jungles is the survival of the fittest. But, I have often thought that there is a larger outlook to life which is 'place and opportunity for all', which is what is the foundation for cordial living in civil society!

We are humans by our behaviour, because we are people of reason, logic, values and relational in orientation. 

This humanitarian view of life is being replaced of late, in public narration and practice by imposing the rights of the might on others. 

During the recently concluded national elections in India, we watched the prime minister using derogatory, accusatory and demeaning language to seek public support for his party; the president of the congress party accusing the prime minster as chor without respite and a confrontational electioneering in West Bengal under the watchful eye of its chief minister. The national print and visual media mostly was partisan and promoted a 'hateful' outlook towards those who opposed an ideological mind set of the ruling party. Ever since I became politically aware, I have watched ten national elections during my life time. This recent election pronounced the obituary of code of ethics in political morality. The jungle law of the 'end justifying the means' in human conduct has received sanction and exoneration.

Now it is the turn of doctors in India to go on strike for 24 hours on 17th June, 2019 in sympathy for junior doctors who suffered violent attack on them while on duty in West Bengal. This infuriated the doctors in Kolkota and they have been on the street for 72 hours. The reaction of the local and national political leadership so far has been equally disturbing with unwillingness to be proactive to resolve the issue!

India as a nation is a signatory to the charter to alternate dispute resolution and has a well established set up at the judiciary level, to seek the involvement of arbitrators to start the dispute resolution process between the government and the striking doctors. 

Don't our leaders care for the safety of our doctors and behave as custodians of their freedom to practice medicine in a fair and affirming environment! Don't the doctors care to pause and reflect on the enormous damage they would impose on patients who would go unattended because the doctors go on strike! Don't the judiciary who is quick to opine suo moto even on mundane matters want to instruct the government and the doctors to come to the negotiating table! There are scores of public interest litigations that are filed at the  honourable High and Supreme courts on diverse matters to which courts give consent to consider! Why there are no public interest litigations filed in the courts to highlight the risk to human lives when doctors go on strike and the damaging impact caused by the indifference of the government to the legitimate needs of doctors- safety at workplace!

Even the order calling the attention of the government to settle the matter issued by the honourable Culcutta High Court in this matter is so anaemic that it has not prompted the doctors or the government to come to negotiating table. Hopefully this would happen between today and tomorrow! 

To me, this is a progression from obituary of code of ethics during the national election to the euthanasia of ethics. 

We through our indifferent behaviour kill the code of ethics except that it is not 'mercy killing' but a murder! The doctors who resort to strike violate their vocation to serve the needs of patients at all cost and at all times. By resorting to striking from work, they threaten this foundation of medical ethics. By the political masters looking the other way when the doctors suffer injury at work place, they frustrate the vocation of the doctors by disregarding their human rights.  

Why is that there are no protest marches in the streets initiated by the civil society to call upon the government to arbitrate and find a solution to this ugly state of affairs in health care! Is not the civil society the moral conscience of the nation, when the needs of the majority are at stake! 

The west Bengal Chief Minister is sieged in despair  by the under performance of her party in the recent national elections and the political masters at the central government seem to be gloating over their overwhelming performance in the elections. Both governments seem to be frozen at their thought level! The Prime Minister of India is else where in the world and his approach is proverbial silence when it hurts others! 

Let me request the medical profession to refrain from striking from work on 17 June, 2019. May we be those who practice the vocation of medicine even in adverse circumstances because that alone would befit us to be seen  as humane! Let the leaders in the medical profession who carry weight with the governments offer to negotiate and buy time to settle the matter amicably!

Let me remind the governments at West Bengal and New Delhi, that they know how to act and what to do when there is a cyclone and rain created devastation! So exercise the same emergency view of the situation, when millions in India would have no doctors to attend on them when doctors go on strike! Don't our leaders feel the pain of doctors when they have to work under threat to their lives! Doesn't it call for an emergency response! 

It looks that it is convenient to bury the code of ethics, whether in medical practice or in civil administrative  practice! If so, it is euthanasia of the code of ethics, which is a frightening and demoralising thought!

But I still live with hope and expectations that the doctors and the civil administration would be at the negotiating table in the next 24 hours!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)