A case to think

A public hospital is very easy dumping sites for cops. I remember a patient during my emergency posting. A resident didi there asked me to assess the patient. I saw, he was brought there in terrible condition by the police. He looked poor. All his cloths were dirty. He must have fallen down in muddy road. It was rainy season then and all the roads around Kathmandu were in the process of expansion. He was stinky. Probably he was drunk last night. Some vehicle hit him in the road and ran away. His left legs and left hand were fractured.

During the general examination, I had to record the blood pressure of the patient. His left arm and legs was fractured thus they should not be moved to save further damage. He was lying in right lateral (side) position, such that his right arm and legs was below his body. It was impossible for me to take the blood pressure. There were lacerations (torn wounds) in his thighs. We could not expose it because of his almost immoveable and tight dresses. The resident doctor as well was confused about the management. We planned cutting his dress. Adequate dressing was done. Since the fracture was obvious. We had to know about the internal condition, thus X-ray was required. Now the problem arrived. Who would pay for the X-rays? Let me tell you, initial management is immediately done in emergency of our hospital. Patients are not asked to pay first. But after the initial supportive management, such patients brought by police have the problem. The police was searching for his family, but nothing had happened yet. What can be done now? Social service can’t help all of such patients. We had nothing to do. This case was lucky. We gave painkillers and kept him immobilized for the time being. The cops found the vehicle who hit him. The owner of vehicle paid for treatment. All the cases are not this lucky.

Rich or poor, big or small, known or unknown, renowned or ordinary whoever it is, obviously the pain is same, trouble is same, and feeling is same. So the care should also be same for everyone irrespective of their ability or inability in any respect, isn’t it? But unfortunately we have nothing to address this demand. A poor government, no health insurance, no support system, there is nothing to at all to rely on. Our system of capitalism where there is private ownership of almost everything has overruled all humanity. The rich are growing richer and poor are growing poorer day by day. This debate had started long back and communism was introduced where, there is no private ownership of anything and people get (can use) everything in the basis of need. This sounds good, but this system badly failed because of different reasons. I am not against capitalism. But government should have at least made arrangement of health, education and basic need for every citizen. Can’t we even manage a support system for a helpless patient dyeing in a hospital bed?? Then why are taxes taken for?? How long will people keep on dyeing because of lack of money??

I don’t know how long will these questions remain unanswered? Who will find the answer?? and when??? Isn’t it already too late to do something???