While the state Government is grappling with issues concerning the larger interests of the public, there has been a steady increase in incidents where the people are resorting to increasingly bizarre methods to vent their frustrations. The most recent reports of the dead body of a woman who died while delivering a baby, allegedly due to gross negligence and indifference of the doctor, being delivered to the house of the doctor deemed responsible for the unfortunate incident, has forced the society to raise various questions that need immediate and precise answers. What has led the family members and friends of the bereaved to take such drastic measures? And what have the concern authorities of such medical institutions done to alleviate the problem? While it should be assumed that no doctor has any inherent intention to harm or put the lives of their patients to unnecessary risks or danger, it should be acknowledged that such instances of unnatural deaths and seemingly trivial remedial measures gone wrong have reportedly been on the increase at an alarming rate. While we might put it down to an increase in the reporting of such incidents, the fact remains that the nature of handling such unfortunate incidents by the authorities still leaves a lot to be desired. That the patient parties resorts to agitations and accusations of negligence and lack of attention needs to be looked into, as the loss of a life is always a sad and unfortunate happening, and such perceptions should be cleared and explained away whenever possible so that those who are dear and near to the deceased are made to understand and accept the intricate details, inherent risks and the necessities of the procedures they have been subjected to as far as possible. This has not been the case for many, rather almost all the cases in the state thereby forcing the families and friends of the deceased to resort to various methods to vent their ire and frustrations through different and often undesirable display of anger. The apparent lack of sympathy coupled with the preconceived notion that the silence of the doctors connected with such unfortunate incidents connotes compliance of the accusations, and the studied silence of the doctors as well as the authorities just adds fuel to the fire. Whatever be the truth, the trend that is catching up with the society needs to be restrained and reviewed. Destroying properties, dispensing mob justice, displacing entire family of the accused- is this really the way to demand or deliver justice? An eye for an eye will render the whole world blind. But again, owing up to the responsibilities and faults one has inadvertently committed is a sign of maturity and humane spirit, one trait we have yet to witness in anyone thought to be responsible in our society. The very least the authority of the medical institution, in this case, or any department for that matter, connected with such incidents is to set up an investigation into the allegations if the cause sincerely merits looking into, and get to the bottom of the matter. Such an earnest effort will dispel any doubt and simmering discontent while keeping the increasing allegations of carelessness, negligence and indifference in check. But most importantly, such meticulous investigations might unearth a plethora of causes for the apparent rot in the healthcare system as perceived by the public. The Government and the judiciary has an inescapable role in maintaining and enforcing the peace and sanity of the public during such unfortunate upheavals.
