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A day at AIIMS- Part2

Next day I went early by half an hour and reached there by 8:30 so that I can finish it off early in the morning itself. Literally, there is something in the air there which attracts such a huge crowd this early. This time I had to just go directly to room number 2090 for the checkup but to find that room in the huge AIIMS campus is a strenuous task in itself. Again Blue Army brigade was there to help and found the room with little difficulty. Security Guard outside the room gave me the token number 44 and asked me to wait for my turn. The display showed number 15, so I thought it will going to take another 1 hour. I decided to take out the newspaper and after turning some pages my eyes clung to the news which read ‘Most-prescribed drugs at AIIMS not available in hospital store’. I was reminded of the huge crowd that saw outside the generic drugs store yesterday.

Anyways, my turn came in 25 minutes. I went inside the room and what I witness I am sure we all must have witnessed in some Govt. office or the other. Just when I went opened the door it was tea time for the honest Govt. servants who were supposed to encapsulate the blood arm. People had to stand again in queue till the time they are finished with their tea. But two very dedicated after seeing queue stepped in and started taking the samples while other two guys were busy with their whatsapp. After seeing the commitment of the former two guys my faith in the Government offices got reinstated.

After the checkup I was feeling relieved and clinched the opportunity of saving some time for roaming around inside the AIIMS campus. It’s a beautiful campus like most other Govt. institutions for higher education. During my meandering tour of the campus I saw the hope in the eyes of the people outside the cancer ward, sorrow outside a morgue and happiness outside the discharge ward, too many emotions at one place.

If everything is fine where is the problem then?
Just when I was introspecting, I eye witnessed a huge gathering which was meant for booking an appointment with the doctor offline. That’s when I consummated how things went well for me. I was able to book the appointment online. I was literate enough to read the medicine that doctor has prescribed on the parchi (it was difficult though), read the procedure and place for blood checkup and most importantly the sign boards. But there are people who either don’t know that such kind of facility exist or don’t have the access to such facility. I was cautioned with a conversation that came to my ear while I was standing in the queue to deposit cash for the blood checkup yesterday. It sounded like ‘I can’t read what is written on the parchi. Nobody is telling me where to go. From morning I am roaming around with my ailing wife. I also came yesterday and they told me to come tomorrow’.
Technology has made the life painless of the people who know how to use that technology for their benefit but things are still the same or even worse who don’t know how to use it. Worse in the sense that previously all of us were on the same page but now who can avail the benefit of technology are better off. Despite the fact that Blue Army is doing a fantastic job but there is a need to provide them more humanistic training so that they can better assist those who are in dire need. Rather than giving ‘Go Left’ as the answer to every problem it would be better if they can spend some time to listen the problem carefully and then provide a solution.

One more thing that I lacked in the whole system was separate queues for male, female and specially abled. This can avoid lots of queue arguments and unnecessary problems. It is important to make the whole campus accessible by taking the advantage of Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan) launched by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) as a nation-wide Campaign for achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)..
Also, there was no security check up at the entrance which make place like AIIMS vulnerable in the prevailing circumstances.

People go there from every corner of the country with hope and when that get busted, it manifest into anger which ultimately results into attacks on the doctors. Admitting that attacks are nowhere justified but these can be avoided with some basic changes in the administration and procedures. More long term measures like improvement in health infrastructure in the hinterland so that people don’t have to come to Delhi every time, fewer patients per doctor as per international norms etc. Professional training should be given to employees at regular interval so that general public don’t have to suffer every time they had to go for tea. Doctors should participate in spreading understanding of science and society. At present, the public often does not understand the deeper structural problems underlying the apparent failures of the doctors. Medical practitioners should help highlight these. Public anger is often justified, but it is directed against those who are not really responsible, but are forced to take the blame for problems which they have no resources to solve. We must propagate science better. There must be a constant audit of the working hours of medical personnel and the fatigued doctor should not be left in the front line to deal with an emotionally charged public. Social workers can be encouraged to work in crucial departments such as accident and emergency wards to handle anxious crowds will certainly reduce the stress of already overburdened postgraduates and house surgeons.

At the same time it is the duty of every citizen to have patience and wait for their turn rather than taking things for granted and breaking rules just to get things done quickly. They should understand that these are the same doctors who have treated and saved people in the past. Awareness should also be spread in general public about the misconceptions through positive news reporting which will instill the confidence of the masses in one the premier institute of medical sciences.

Simultaneously, Government should step up the health expenditure which is around 1% of GDP at present to at least 2.5% of GDP which is also envisaged in new National Health Policy, 2017. The policy seeks to move away from sick-care to wellness, with a thrust on prevention and health promotion. While the policy seeks to reorient and strengthen public health systems, it also looks afresh at strategic purchasing from the private sector and leveraging their strengths to achieve national health goals. The aims recognized by the Health Policy, if conceptualized well can solve many problems of the feeble health sector of India and has the potential to create vast human capital out of the huge demographic dividend of India.

I believe these guys are doing great job by catering to each and unique demand of the diverse people of the country. Eager to work with you guys some day for a better tomorrow.

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