IMPHAL, November 2: A public dialogue on `Doctors and Patients/Public Relationship` was organised today at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal jointly organised by the Manipur Medical Council (MMC), Medical Directorate Complex, Lamphel with an objective to curve current defective relationship between doctors and patient party inclining to mob justice hampering the medical environment in the state so far.
Brahmacharimayum Biramangol Sharma, aka BB Sharma, was the moderator during the public convention.
Participating in the debate cardiothoracic surgeon of RIMS, Dr Ksh Kala Singh who is also the President of Indian Medical Association, Manipur State observed that there is an urgent need of a platform to bridge the gap between patient and doctor.
On the other hand former Mission Director of National Rural Health Mission, Manipur Dr S Ibomcha Singh conceded that there are few instances of negligence from doctor`™s side but redressing the error with mob justice should be avoided at all cost.
Pointing out that MMC is one of the statutory bodies to address such issues legally and fairly, he claimed that there are shortcomings in term of medical infrastructures and man power in the health sector of the state.
He opined that once the deficiency is overcome there will be minimal space for negligence from the medical authority.
Supporting this statement, obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Ch Manglem Singh mentioned that the deficiency of medical staffs, infrastructure and are the main factors reason leading lost of trust, he emphasised in increasing the mentioned posts in the Government hospitals to serve as a major facelift in the health sector of the state.
Addressing the issue former Medical Superintendent RIMS and Secretary of Red Cross Society Manipur Dr Y Mohen Singh, said that he was among the first doctors to witness the trend of formation of JACs in connection with child birth or maternity related fatality.
He opined that maximum cases that he came across are settled after giving compensating the victims`™ families.
He further exhorted that doctors here need to institutionalise public relation for better relationship with the patient party.
Later Director of Prosecution, Government of Manipur Ng Tejkumar Singh, a legal expert mentioning the importance of Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in such cases expressed his resentment over the non attendance of any representatives of CSO in the programme.
Observing that a doctor engaging dual practice in different institutes tend to commit error at some point, he said that the MMC is statutory body where anyone can file a report against any doctor and the authority of MMC will be responsible to the address the grievance in time.
Tejkumar said that Supreme Court of India has endorsed that consultation from a doctor, diagnosis and treatment of a patient is a paid contract where any patient party may file a suit against the doctor concern when neglected.
However, he said that mob justice is not the ultimate solution of doctor`™s negligence but filing at MMC or consumer court is the most proper and ethical approach.