Where poor patients are given short shrift…

The cure of a suffering patient depends not only on the treatment but also on the behaviour of a doctor. But doctors of our country seem to have forgotten this. I am saying this because I recently had some bitter experience with the doctors. Doctors are generally seen in a hasty mood in the public hospital. They have no time to listen to the patient's history. Moreover, poor patients are sometimes advised to meet the doctors in their private chambers.
Patients have to face many challenges before they can finally get into a doctor's room. Most of the doctors' assistants in public hospitals behave rudely towards the patients. They are only interested in maintaining the serial which is actually a game of money. When one's serial finally comes to see the doctor, one is left with utter shock as the moody doctor only asks the main problem and doesn't even care to listen; because they are always in a hurry to attend their private appointments. How can we expect better quality treatment when earning money is the main concern of the doctors?
Rifat Darina Kamal
Lecturer, Department of Public Administration
Chittagong University