PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF

JUDGING by the actions of the GMOA, one wonders if any of them have actually taken the HIPPOCRATIC OATH which requires a physician to swear by a number of healing Gods to uphold specific standards.

The thoroughly politicized members of GMOA (stands for Gold Mining Opportunists’ Assembly!) who seem to be having a hidden political agenda appear to be attempting to take over the functions of the Ministry of Health in making decisions with regard to policy matters.  If this is encouraged even slightly, then there will be no end to such interferences even by other trade unions in making decisions which should be the exclusive domain of the duly elected government.

It was pathetic to see poor patients suffering in more than 1500 hospitals whilst the doctors decided to resort to trade union action on several occasions during the recent past.  The funny thing was that those who were on “strike” actually “worked” in private hospitals offering channel services.  That really shows their dishonesty, leading one to doubt whether the oath taken by them was not Hippocratic but of Hypocrisy.

These members of the GMOA who were undoubtedly beneficiaries of free education at the expense of the poor tax payers and who already earn fat salaries and benefits, in addition to opportunities provided to them to engage in private practice in various private hospitals; should at least spare a thought to the less privileged members of the society.

To quote a para from the Hippocratic Oath – in case they have forgotten it by now:

“ I will remember that I remain a member of society with special obligation to all my fellow human beings; those sound of mind and body, as well as the infirm”

One cannot really understand their obsession with private medical colleges except to assume that all they are worried about is their impending loss of income if more and more doctors come out of private medical colleges thus denying or limiting their opportunities to make money through private practice whilst at the same time enjoying the best of both worlds in continuing in government service and also serving the private hospitals.

Hopefully, these doctors who are now threatening more strikes of longer durations in the coming days, should revisit the Hippocratic Oath and examine their conscience before they resort to such cheap tactics.  Like one reader suggested recently, if this practice of resorting to trade union action by the doctors continues, the day is not far away when the ordinary public including the impatient patients resort to agitations and boycotts against the greedy members of the GMOA.