Merchants of Death

Why is our public health- conscious Health Minister Hon. Anbumani Ramdoss barking up the wrong tree again? Why does he want to bring in compulsory prohibition all over again when it failed miserably last time unless he wants to give jobs to millions of bootleggers? Why is he missing the woods for the trees?

Sabarkantha in Gujarat is reeling under outbreak of Hepatitis –B and similar deaths lurk around our hospitals. Doctors in collusion with rag pickers- yes, rag pickers are buying used syringes to be recycled into hospitals. Police found used syringes, needles, medical waste from scrap dealers. In essence, these doctors are merchants of death. Why doesn’t our Health Minister initiate action and prosecute those doctors and give them a lifer?

Again why is he keeping quiet when doctors are openly prescribing banned drugs and in collusion with chemists, sell them in drug stores across the counter?

Has he bothered to investigate why medicines are ‘out of stock’ in Government hospitals, but the same are sold in Chemists’ shops across the country? Why is he not aware of these things when they are happening right under his nose? Why doesn’t he take time off from his pet obsessions and devote his time to tackle major health problems? Even now our record in Child Morbidity and Mortality rate is abysmal and compares with sub-saharan region. Doesn’t he just care and / or is he keeping a safe distance from it all saying ‘Health is a State Subject’!?

Why doesn’t the Health Minister tackle the major heath issues first and later attend to his pet projects?

The Minister is sincere and hardworking. If only he focuses his attention on Major issues, he could really make a difference.

ERR