Doctors communities are always in the controversy. Medical professionals are accepting the level of corruption in medical practices it is same as that in other practices. But when raising of questions of direct action of police in the case of doctors negligence,the community strongly opposes its. On some burning topics of health care sector our Janjivan correspondent talked to Indian Medical Association General Secretary Dr. K.K.Aggarwal. Dr.Aggarwal is not only Padama shri awardee also Dr. B C Roy National Awardee (Govt. of India), Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Awardee; Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Awardee and he has got several other awards.
Janjivan: Why Health sector is always neglected ?
Dr. K.K. : This is very unfortunate that health sector has been neglected by most Indian governments. Most of the times in the past the country never had a Cabinet Minister in Health. Only State Ministers used to be given Independent Charge for Health.
Janjivan: Are you satisfied with the Union Budget for Health ?
Dr. K.K. : No. Health budget should be atleast 6% of the GDP but if we combine Indirect Budget, then it is O.K. Indirect Budget means, Rural Health from Rural Development Ministry, Environmental Health from Environmental Ministry, Road safety from Transport Ministry, Skill Development training from skill Development Ministry and Clean India from Swachh Bharat-Swasth Bharat Abhiyan etc.
Janjivan: What are the main problems of health sector ?
Dr. K.K. : The need of the hour is to provide, accessible, affordable , safe & quality healthcare to all
· Accessible: People do not have access to quality and safe healthcare especially the rural population.
· Affordable: only limited segment of the society is ensured and rest of them have to pay from their own pocket. Out of pocket expenses is more than 70%.
· Quality & Safe: In India, the standard of care is not uniform.
Janjivan: Do you think that some doctors are in malafied practice?
Dr. K.K. : Medical profession is not exceptional. The level of corruption in medical practice is same as that in other practices.
Janjivan: Why doctors community opposing the direct police investigation in negligence cases ?
Dr. K.K. : Deficiency of service is covered under Consumer Protection Act.
· Professional Misconduct is covered under Medical Councils.
· Deficiency of service is not negligence.
· Error of judgment is not negligence.
· Mere deviation from normal practice is not negligence.
· For a criminal negligence, the negligence has to be gross and there has to be an intent. Doctors never treat a patient with an intent of killing. Therefore Sec. 304 is not applicable to doctors unless there is a very gross negligence.
Janjivan: Peoples are saying that the IMA like organization are become the money earning organization.
Dr. K.K. : It is not true. IMA is a large organization having 2.5 lacs members spread in 30 State Branches and 1700 Local Branches. The basic purpose of the Association is to do community services, conduct medical education programmes for doctors and participate in governmental discussion for any policy change. For any medical association, source of funding are Govt. Grant, grants from private oranizations, sponsorship and other fund raising activities.
According to recent Income Tax Tribunal Judgment, any fund raised by IMA as long as it is used for community service or charity; it is not disallowable in income tax.
