Nobility of medical profession cannot be questioned- Justice Shah

Delivering a key note address on the occasion of Doctor’s Day celebrations organised by Heart Care Foundation of India and eMedinewS, Justice Ajit Prakash Shah, Former Chief Justice of Delhi High court, said that medical profession was noble, is noble and will remain a noble profession.

Guest of Honour was Delhi High Court Judge, Justice Vipin Sanghi.

The program was organized by the Foundation in view of the recent controversy created by commercial cine star Aamir Khan in his show Satyamev Jayate, where he directly blamed medical profession as one amongst corrupt professions.

Justice Shah said that difference of opinion, errors of judgments, medical errors and medical accidents should not be linked to medical negligence. There is always an element of wilful omission and commission in any medical negligence.

Speaking on the occasion, Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India, said that for every 98 people saved there will be at least two patients who will die because of medical treatment.

In US alone, one lakh people die every year because of medical treatment. This number in India would be much larger. For saving crores of people in the society many will die because of side effects, high risk cases or medical errors.

Dr. Aggarwal said that the need of the hour is to create safe and effective system and not target medical doctors who provide the best of the care in the available circumstances.

Dr. Yugal Mishra, Director, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre gave presentation on “Choice of Heart Valves: Bioprosthetic Vs. Mechanical.

A panel discussion was also organised where the panelists discoursed on how to ‘Rebuild the image of Medical Profession’. The panel was moderated by Mr. Vijay Dutt, Nehru Fellow, former Editor Hindustan Times. The panelists included Dr D S Rana Chairman Ganga Ram Hospital, Padma Shri Awardee Dr Ashok Vaid Chairman Oncology Medanta - The Medicity, Mr Pramath Sinha, Entrepreneur, Mediworx Pvt Ltd.,  Dr Arun Bhatanagar - Former Secretary, GOI; Mr Nripendra Mishra Former Secretary,GOI, Mr Rajiv Dogra Former Ambassador and Secretary External Affairs, Ms Priya Hingorani Sr Advocate, Dr  Sanjiv Malik Past President IMA, Dr A K Aggarwal President Delhi Medical Council, Dr D R Rai Secretary General IMA, Dr Harish Gupta President DMA and Dr Neelam Mohan Director Pediatric Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Medanta – The Medicity.

Dr Pawan Gupta, Dr Sudesh Ratan, Dr O P Jain, Dr G M Singh, Dr A K Kansal, Dr N K Gupta, Dr Dinesh Negi the core members of Dr KK Study Circle also interacted.

The consensus that emerged from the panel discussion was that health should be taken on priority by the government. Medical profession should work in a transparent and accountable system and the public should have faith in their doctors and the concept of family physician should be revived.