Who is a WITCH?

One fine morning, I received call from a hospital where I do my private practice. They asked me to come hospital to see an emergency patient there.

I reached emergency in few minutes. A gentleman was sitting in emergency tool. Our paramedic who had done primary management, told me that there was simple case of physical assault brought by police, and police were waiting outside to arrest him after we discharge him from hospital. He further suggested me to admit him in hospital which will save him from torture by police, and further it will be economically beneficial to hospital as well. (Let me remind that such request is not unusual in private health centers, further requesting for admition and expensive labs/meds and huge bill is also not unusual by patients of physical assault since the assaulter will pay for the bills.)

I took a quick history from patient, he said he was beaten badly and is having severe pain, and requested me to admit him in hospital to do necessary treatment and pain management. His examination findings were normal. His anxiety made me feel that I should admit him. I sent an Xray to rule out bone fracture.

I had to wait for sometime till report of X-Rays comes. In this leisure, I asked helper-boy of hospital about why police were waiting outside. He said, “Sir, the patient you are seeing is famous politician from major political party. His daughter is sick since few months due to a witch-craft (बोक्सीको जादूटुना). Thus they beat the witch and her family. The beaten family is under treatment in nearby hospital.” He further gave his view that witch should be treated exactly like this.

“If there was something called witch, no terrorist would use suicide-bomb. They would rather come to our villages to learn the witchcraft and kill or injure the people-leaders they want without any difficulty.” I said. I had grown little angry myself knowing that my patient has accused some one of being witch and has beaten her innocent family for no reason.

Photo of Kantipur Dialy
of news on same issue

Report of x-ray came in few minutes showing normal findings. I prescribed the needed medications and informed the police that they can take him away now.

Not only friends in hospital, but also few of my close well wishers were not happy for what I did later. They commented that helping political people is relation of give-and-take. It would be beneficial to me later. They further warned me that in current society, there isn’t good place for a person who only does what he thinks is right. Being ethical doesn’t pays, instead it harms.

I silently disagreed.

In the evening, there was news in “avenues tv “ about same incident, that the culprits are arrested. Next day, I read in national newspaper “Kantipur” and the “Nagarik” about same. All of them made me feel that, if had really helped him to escape from police, I won’t have been able to forgive myself.

At the end, it’s not about what my gain is, it’s only about what type of person I ought to be….