A brief
interview with Dr. Nilima Naik, a young medical graduate
from the M.G.M. Medical College, Indore (M.P) in 1994 who
has been working with Holy Family Hospital, New Delhi for
the past one year. Dr. Naik who has the first-hand
experience in working in two different settings,
expresses some of the concerns of the new entrants into
the profession.
Medical
Profession has always remained as a respectable and
attractive career for bright and enthusiastic youngsters,
with varied motivations. Some see it as a highly
potential profession with vast career and economic
opportunities. But some others take it with a sense of
commitment and service towards the suffering humanity.
The profession is now at the cross-roads. Its role in
contributing towards the welfare of people is very vital
today, as ever before. At one end of the spectrum we have
a cadre of enterprising doctors who make a good business
of their vocation. But on the other, there are others who
slog over with medical emergencies day in and day out, in
extremely trying conditions.
Question:
What
motivated you to take up the medical profession?
Answer:
It is a noble profession in which you can reach out and
serve the humanity. I have always admired people who have
been motivated and have done a lot to bring succour to
people. As a child I was deeply inspired by the work of
great people like Mother Teresa. So I thought medical
profession would be the best option for me to find
meaning and satisfaction in life. Even my younger brother
taken up the same profession.
Q.
What
do you say about the quality and nature of education you
got?
A.
I think the quality of education we get in India is more
theoretical. I feel there is a need to re-orient the
medical education to be more clinically-guided for better
patient management.
Q.
What
do you think are the major health problems of the country
and how effective are the control measures taken by the
Govt.?
A.
I feel that the major health problems of the country are
infectious diseases, caused mainly due to health
ignorance and unhygienic environmental conditions. The
Government has done a lot to eradicate many of these
diseases, but I wouldn’t say that they have
completely achieved their goal. More efforts are still to
be directed in this field along with organised treatment
measures.
Q.
What
is the impact of the work of private and voluntary
agencies in health care?
A.
The private and voluntary agencies in health care have,
no doubt, done a lot for health awareness creation and
disease control. Yet these have not reached the masses
residing in interiors. This calls for a proper survey of
the actual population which badly needs the benefit of
their efforts.
Q.
What
do say about the quality of medical care in the private
sector and charitable hospitals?
A.
Of course, the quality of service and attention a patient
can get in a private hospital is much better than in
government hospitals. But the question is who can afford
private medical care, not the poor people. The charges
are so outrageous that they are far beyond the reach of
the average population.
Voluntary hospitals offers a via media. The standards of
care offered in these hospitals are of good quality and
charges are generally reasonable. But even these services
are not accessible to a large portion of the population,
because of the increasing cost of medical care these
days.
Q.
What
is your opinion on the public health services in the
country now?
A.
Public health services in our country are trying to meet
the needs of the people through various efforts, yet they
fail in many respects due to paucity of resources,
inadequate infrastructure and lack of participation from
the general public. Government should mobilize more funds
to overcome such barriers, because this is the only
option left for the poor people.
Q.
What
are the main problems in providing effective medical care
in the hospital setting?
A.
Regarding medical care at the hospital setting, I can
only say that there is a dead-lock. In Government
hospitals, the medical care is not organised which can be
partly attributed to lack of resources and partly to
unimaginative planning and other factors.
Existing conditions in government hospitals are very
pathetic. Practicing doctors face lot of problems, there
is shortage of medicines, lack of support services and at
times even basic things like paper, needle/syringes are
not available. The problems are compounded as large
number of patients flock to city hospitals for treatment
because they get no primary health care services.
Q.
What
do you foresee for the improvement in the health status
of the people in India?
A.
For improving the health status of the people, the two
most important factors are creation of health awareness
by increasing the literacy level, especially of females
(like in Kerala) and second, more organised delivery of
health care services by the Government.
Q.
What
are the positive and negative signs at present in this
regard?
A.
The negative factor in this regard is the population boom
and inadequate nutrition because of poverty and unequal
distribution of wealth. The positive factors for
improving the health status of the community are better
health consciousness, rising literacy levels and better
coverage of health services by the public and private
sectors including voluntary health agencies.
Q.
What
do you think the new medical graduates should aim at?
A.
I feel that fresh medical graduates should have more
dedication and willingness to do selfless service to the
people. It should be a necessary part of their training
to go and provide health services in interior parts of
the country.
Q.
What
are your plans for the future?
A.
I plan to appear for the US Medical License Examination
being held in Singapore. Later, I will pursue my
post-graduation. But I will definitely come back and
settle down in India.
PROFESSOR NAJMA ZAHEER BAQUER
HONOURED
Prof. Najma
Zaheer Baquer of New Delhi is the first Indian to be made
a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Spain in
June 1997. This was in recognition for her outstanding
contributions towards understanding of Diabetes. The
award carries a medal and a citation.
Prof. Baquer was also awarded a D.Sc by Lucknow
University earlier this year in recognition of her
research on diabetes, ageing and brain metabolism. She
holds an
M.Sc. and Ph.D from Lucknow University. She did her
post-doctoral research for one year at the All India
Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and for ten
years at the Middlexes Hospital and University College,
London University. Professor Najma Zaheer Baquer joined
the School of Life Sciences in Jawaharlal Nehru
University, New Delhi in 1975 and has been working there
ever since.
Prof. Baquer is also the recipient of the Homi Bhabha
Fellowship and is a member of the National Academy of
Sciences in India and Wellcome Foundation Fellowship
(UK).
Professor Najma Zaheer Baquer’s research efforts
focus on the mechanisms involved in the regulation and
control of metabolic pathways in mammalian tissues during
various physiological imbalances. She has been studying
the effects of drugs like antidepressants and
tranquilizers on brain metabolism in order to reduce
their harmful side-effects. Professor Baquer’s major
professional concern is to determine the process involved
in the complications of diabetes on red blood cells,
kidney, retina and lens since these tissues are severely
and adversely affected in diabetes and ageing. Her
research has shown that Vanadium and Lithium, to some
extent, can reverse diabetic complications. She is
currently pursuing research on anti-ageing compounds and
the effect of certain drugs on brain metabolism and on
the treatment of thyroid deficiency and diabetes.
Jamkhed Institute of Training and
Research in Community Based Health and Population
DIPLOMA IN COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH
AND DEVELOPMENT
Duration : 3 months
1st September 1997 to 30th November 1997
Place : Jamkhed
Eligibility : Doctors (Allopathy, Homeopathy
etc.), Nurses, Social Workers or Basic Graduate degree
holders involved in community health. Ability to
communicate in English is essential.
Unique Features of the Course:Active participation of trainees,
community involvement in teaching, academic back-up,
field experience with "on hand" training.
Doctors committed to rural work are
eligible for scholarships
Apply for prospectus to:
Director
Comprehensive Rural Health Project
Jamkhed 413 201
Dt. Ahmednagar
Maharashtra
Fax: (02421) 21034
Phone: (02421) 21322, 21323
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