Not really sorry for the provocative
heading, it may even sound ridiculous in the times of catastrophic health
crisis. But when one is located in primitive society one can only be aghast by
the way things are handled. It’s a hierarchy driven society hence will always
find its crude references. It is being drilled in that doctors are in higher status
compared to nurses. Naturally when someone is put at higher status it automatically
makes others lower status. And lower status means inhuman dealing that characterizes
this society. The rising cases of nurses getting infected with virus reflects
this lackadaisical ways. Many Kerala nurses have related dangerous life threatening
condition under which they are being forced to work, specifically, in places like Mumbai. Most have complained that they are not getting
even basic amenities and are being exploited. Many nurses (mostly from Kerala) in big cities are paid
pittance as they stay together in small rooms in appalling conditions while
they work in super specialty hospitals catering to richest people. Disgracefully some see them as nothing more than house helps. There are cases where nurses have threatened to suicide if their salary is not increased (i recall few years back when few of them climbed highrise to suicide). These crucial jobs are being taken for granted. Not at all surprising considering the nature of society. Now that we are in midst of crisis it should give insight as to what is to be valued. There are no menial jobs. There are crucial jobs and there are BS jobs. Its difficult to get these into the minds of primitives wherein success is epitomized through IIT-IIM-and then sniffing for big money in a well entrenched BS network of professionalism. That these wastrels are elevated as standards of intelligence and success is a study on this society.
Most doctors have spent a ransom
to achieve this status. And in a status driven society they seek to multiply these
by working to extend these into lucrative career hence strive to specialize in
latest fad so as to be in high paying super specialty hospitals. Hospitals are profitable
business and many moneybags are salivating to multiple their investment. The way
things are dealt in this society doctors are also seen as marker of intelligence. Ideally
anyone who is interested to have a career in any field must be encouraged and the
society is expected to provide facilities. To be a doctor is no big deal anyone
who is literate and interested can become a doctor if he or she is ready to
invest time and energy so as to pass the MBBS. Though India has acute shortage of doctors these career
are restricted (this is nothing short of sadistic value system that defines the
policy makers –not surprising considering most were casteist feudals with
minimum intelligence but surfeit blessing). There are entrance exams wherein
they are tested in fields like physics, chemistry so on within a set time to
pursue a career as medical doctor! They are asked to solve questions in fields
of science in shortest time that in itself is an affront on science and an
insult on the whole idea of education. Short cut based utilitarian valuation of
education is a reflection of sick society that is infected with memorization
and recitation as standard of achievement. Those who qualify these inanities
are seen as epitomizing intelligence thus tarnishing these youngsters (both who
qualify and those who don’t qualify) for life. Another achievement of this primitive
society which is not evolved to value humans.
The job of doctor is to diagnose,
as also show empathy and concern to patient. To expect empathy and concern is
asking for bit too much when they are here to get back the investment. Patients
are exploitable commodity in most hospitals. With rare exceptions most doctors are money sucking
leeches who run a racket with hospitals and pharmaceutical conglomerates. While
poor die for want of basic amenities. Public health centers lack staff. So primarily
a doctor’s job is to diagnose based on the evidence. These can be easily be
automated. Robots (like IBM Watson) are able to do much better and precise diagnoses
as compared to doctors. It is able to compare millions of cases, and with deep
learning able to even predict, to higher level of success and doesn’t show any emotional
fatigue. It is not shocking that what was classified as “intelligent” people by
this society don’t pass the scrutiny. The profile that really matters (not surprisingly
undermined by this society) is that of a nurse. Not only do they have knowledge
of medicines but are expected to carry qualities of caring since they spent more time with patients unlike doctors who diagnoses, prescribes and checks feedback. A good nurse should be necessarily be having qualities
of empathy and compassion. Attributes that cannot be automated. Attributes that
defines a human. Doctor’s job therefore should be redundant and routinized into
some technical application.
So when I see these doctors pouting
their opinions in market media it makes me sick. What exactly is their role
here? They haven’t done any research on this virus (indeed most doctors cannot they are practitioners) so
how do they know about it to give opinion? Further, the diagnosis, prescriptions and care are already streamlined in epidemics as also pandemic by high end research and protocol. Doctors therefore becomes an overpaid presence without much use. I dare say they maybe just crowding the place. Doctors therefore are more suited to run clinics in small town. The job of nurses therefore becomes
much crucial in health crisis. What differentiate nurses and doctors is mostly class factors (in casteist society this is source of much degradation) that is sought to be consolidated as blessed intelligence hence competence. The reality is ofcourse different. Society is making wrong investments. Nurses are qualified and competent to make preliminary diagnoses
before referring to a robot (at the moment occupied by doctor) who refers back patients to
them for treatment and care after accurate diagnosis and necessary prescriptions. It needs to be noted that Scandinavian countries
value nurses and they are paid in par with doctors. It’s about time that world realizes
and recognizes the crucial role nurses play. They cannot and shouldn’t be subservient
to anyone least the doctors (who are mostly going to be obsolete). Their job profile
is to be valued by humanity. Their role should be augmented so that they can
head health centers. This is crucial considering health crisis that are set to
rise in future with climate change and increased possibilities of epidemics, also consider doctors don't like to work at grassroot level while health centers prescribes the need for doctors while these could be handled by trained nurses who are also connected to grassroot reality. Instead
of wasteful colonial jobs like IAS that cater to feudal values system and sucks
away too much resources we need Indian Health Services (with nursing as qualification)
that is adapted to changing reality (apart from ofcourse Indian Education Service).
Health service professionals must play a crucial active role in local administration unlike
generalists colonial administrators who are ego driven dead weights. Casteist feudal
policy makers who ruled this beleaguered nation for 70odd years were intellectually
incapable and morally deficient to understand the needs of this society hence replicated
what was handed over to them by colonial masters –with whom they have embryonic
relations. The way hindutva is moving nothing much is expected as it is
increasingly getting clear that they are trapped in castetva fold degradation. The
castetva narration is too entrenched in zombie populace. That can only be
exploited while feeding fictions of greatness.
The reason why Kerala was able to
handle the pandemic (despite first case reported on Jan30, and substantial viral
infected expatriate population returning from Dubai, Italy, China so on) is because
of investment in primary health that created grassroot level infrastructure and
trained health workers. As also investment in primary education that created
threshold for qualified health professionals as also a population that is able
to understand the gravity of the situation and take informed precautionary
actions. Ofcourse literacy to education takes effort which is a big deal that Indians
are incapable of. These reflected in amazingly trivial crude ways in which they entertain
themselves, indeed in the last two decades, with influx of market, kerala is
digging into its primitive self. So despite having health standards comparable
to Scandinavian countries (quite an achievement considering low per capita
income) it remains intellectually and morally challenged hence settles in cruder
expressions. It doesn’t show any indications of coming out of its pit in near
future, and considering the wasted potential of literacy this seems like
impossible.
Last but not the least the catholic
christianity that values care and nurture of sick and lonely hence became an
inspiration for youngsters (particularly girls in Kerala) must be appreciated. This
has therefore helped other sections of society to seek these as career all
across the world without any inhibitions. Kerala lady nurses are working all across the world. Considering how patriarchal and
deviant the society is this is quite remarkable (there is also claim of matriarchy
by casteist feudals, its laughable nonsense spread by mediocre sociologists
without any context). Apart from nurses kerala also exports school teachers to
different parts of the world. This ofcourse is not an endorsement for religions
which I maintain is an anachronistic nonsense based on fantastical fiction that
degrades reality. But we need to appreciate where it is due.
