Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Doctors' strike

This refers to the three-day strike by doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, protesting the proposed sacking of its Director. I fail to understand why doctors who are supposed to save lives attach no value to people's lives and pain. They are obviously unaware of and indifferent to their social responsibility. The rights and wrongs of it apart, does the issue of Dr. P. Venugopal warrant a strike? It is something that has to be resolved by discussions. If the issue is resolved in their favour, can the doctors compensate for their apathy which has claimed two lives?

M. Vetri Selvan,
Udayarpalayam, T.N.

* * *

The complete shutdown of services by the resident doctors for three days was absolutely uncalled for. Have they forgotten the Hippocratic oath? Doctors have no right to refuse treatment to any critically ill patient.

Kunal Saha,
Columbus, Ohio

* * *

Autonomy or no autonomy, the prestige of AIIMS has been significantly eroded by the insensitive and unprofessional behaviour of its doctors.

K. Vijayakumar,
Bangalore

* * *

Doctors forget their medical ethics while fighting for their so-called rights on the streets. Steps meant to tone up administrative efficiency should not be viewed as interference in autonomy. Elites in the premier institute should have faith in dialogue and peaceful settlement rather than resorting to strikes. Should poor patients be victimised for no fault of theirs? Such frequent strikes holding patients to ransom reinforce the need for a patients' forum.

P. Soundararajan,
Chennai

* * *

The practice of doctors indulging in politics is as bad as politicians diagnosing patients.

Gopi Rajagopal,
Bangalore

* * *

It is very unfortunate to see doctors blatantly refusing to perform their duties. They may be right in opposing an administrative decision. But there are other ways to express their unhappiness.

As for the Government, why did it not do something to defuse the crisis on the very first day? Does life mean nothing to anyone?

Shailesh Kumar,
Bangalore

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