Unholy mission

Sir — Refusing to admit critically-ill patients, charging extravagant amounts as medical bills, and now the withdrawal of treatment to a patient who had failed to clear his dues — all these malpractices seem to have become an integral part of the ethos of private medical institutions. The state government has done nothing to reverse the trend despite the Supreme Court verdict which states that a private health care institution must treat an emergency patient even if he is unable to clear his pending dues at the moment.

The death of Patrick Cranston at the Mission of Mercy Hospital after the authorities stopped his treatment because of pending medical bills on his name proves that even apex court orders exist only on paper (“Bills unpaid, treatment stops”, April 22). If the hospital’s conduct towards Cranston is anything to go by, then patients from poor families would have to think twice before getting admitted to private institutions. Health care institutions such as the Mission of Mercy Hospital receive huge donations for providing service to the poor. Perhaps it is time to put in place a system that will ensure that the grants are reaching the target group instead of being siphoned of by private hospitals.

Yours faithfully,
Surajit Das, Calcutta

Sir — It is a pity that a man had to die because he was not in a position to pay his hospital dues. If hospitals refuse to treat patients when they fail to pay their bills, then doctors should stop taking the Hippocratic oath that requires them to put the patients’ welfare before self-interest. Doctors who have lost their humane values cannot be considered eligible for ministering to the needs of an ailing person.

Yours faithfully,
Lubna Salim, Calcutta

Sir — It is the callousness of the medical staff in Calcutta, as displayed in the way they stopped Patrick Cranston’s treatment, that forces patients to travel to hospitals in Chennai and Bangalore. The doctors there are more mindful of their professional ideals than their counterparts in Calcutta. The chief minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, should take some time off from executing his grand plans to industrialize Bengal and devote some attention to the pathetic health care facilities in the state.

Yours faithfully,
T.R. Anand, Calcutta

Sir — Most of the private health care centres in West Bengal remain beyond the reach of the common people because of their exorbitant charges. The Mission of Mercy Hospital, being a missionary institution, presumably charges a little less than elite nursing homes. Yet, Patrick Cranston had owed the hospital a sum of Rs 24,000, which is by no means a paltry amount. With medical charges going up drastically, it is only to be expected that middle-class patients would find it difficult to meet the expenses. Doctors, medical service providers, laboratories and dispensaries have created an evil nexus to hold patients to ransom. The death of Patrick Cranston shows that private hospitals have lost all humane values in their pursuit of profit. The medical administrator’s decision to stop all assistance to Cranston is tantamount to homicide, given the fact that the patient was in the ICCU. If the government does not come to the aid of hapless patients by taking disciplinary action against the hospital, then more such cases will be reported in the future.

Yours faithfully,
Subhankar Mukherjee, Burdwan

Sir — Previously, one used to associate government hospitals with the ill-treatment of patients. Newspapers were full of horror stories depicting the plight of the patients in these institutions. But now private hospitals seem to be following the same path. One cannot fail to notice the irony in the fact that the hospital which behaved so cruelly towards Patrick Cranston is named the ‘Mission of Mercy’.

Yours faithfully,
Sayantani Kundu, Calcutta

Parting shot

Sir— Although Achin Vanaik visited Israel, his article,“A garrison state” (April 14), reflects, more than anything else, his determination not to be confused by facts. Israel’s national military service for all does not make it a garrison state. Israel has successfully maintained a democratic political system and way of life. Art, culture, literature, science and education are flourishing in a way that puts our people among the leading societies. Two million tourists would not have bothered to visit a garrison state ever year. Apparently, they recognize something that Vanaik failed to observe during his visit to the country.

Arab Israelis, who constitute 18 per cent of the country’s population, enjoy full rights as citizens. For them, by the way, military service is voluntary and quite a few join in. Their health and education records are a source of envy for many. They are fully represented in the parliament and have their own political parties. The Arab language is widely taught. Even an academy of the Arab language is in its formative stage.

Vanaik has also got his political notions upside down. Hamas does not have to recognize any specific borders of the eventual states of Israel and Palestine. Hamas denies the idea of a two-state solution, refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist altogether and calls for the country’s disappearance. That ought to change prior to any negotiations on outstanding issues, including borders.

Yours faithfully,
David Danieli, Ambassador of Israel to India, New Delhi