'Doctors should reach out to the poor'

Cost-effective medical treatment is the need of the hour in the Indian context of providing healthcare facilities to a vast population largely living below the poverty line. And towards this end, it is imperative that the ban on advertising as a part of medical ethics enunciated several decades ago is strictly enforced.

With riders

C.N. Manjunath, director of the government-run Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardio-Vascular Sciences and Research, and professor and head of the department of cardiology, speaking to

The Hindu , said that the focus of the medical profession should be on ethics, and creating awareness and health consciousness among people. If need be, there could be restrictive advertising to create awareness on the availability of new facilities but advertising

per se on a regular basis should be banned.

The profession, as a whole, has “to reach out to the people, particularly the poor”. “It is only a minuscule part of the population which can seek service at corporate hospitals,” said Dr. Manjunath.

High costs

Medical sciences technology has taken quantum leaps over the last two decades. Added to all this has been the growth in medical insurance and legal awareness, increasing healthcare costs. Unfortunately, new strains of infections are on the rise, adding to health problems. Rather than focus on drawing the attention of a select section of the population which can afford high-end medicare, it will be a happy augury if hospitals work towards providing healthcare to all sections of the population.

Good delivery system

Advertising for healthcare adds to its cost. It is obviously an effort at promoting commercialisation or business interest rather than rendering a service at a low cost.

“In my view, there is nothing wrong in providing luxurious healthcare to the rich; but at the same time a good health delivery system should be available to the poorest of the poor. Only a small segment of people is covered under health insurance and reimbursable category,” he said.

Rather than focus on providing frills to patients, high-end hospitals should pursue a humanitarian approach, Dr. Manjunath said. Crass commercialisation should stop, as should “forced” medical emergencies on patients who really don't require serious medical intervention.