Pathetic Condition in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi : This happened around 3.5 years back. I went to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi with my wife. She had a hair line fracture in leg. While I was passing through one of the corridors I saw a man lying there, i went closer to him to see what the problem is. He's a very poor man, his trousers were black with blood & mud & was stinking badly. Then I noticed that there's a yellow color wood like thing on his one leg, with lots of flies & insects going inside that thing. A close look revealed that it's actually a big wound & that yellow wood was nothing but his bone, which became yellow.
I asked him whether any doctor has examined him till now or not. His answer was No, nobody has seen him till date & he's lying there for last few days. I was shocked to know that one patient is lying there within the premises of the hospital & nobody has bothered to look at him & all the doctors pass through the corridor so many times a day. I then asked one wardboy, the process of getting the patient admitted. He first gave me a strange look & then guided me to the office of the Social Service Agent on the 1st / 2nd floor (i don't remember the floor now).
I went & met the lady out there. When I asked her about the patient, she said that she's tried so many times but nobody lets him inside the hospital & she's helpless. At best she can offer me a porter. I thanked her & went to the porter supervisor, that guy was also reluctant to do his job. But when I insisted, he gave me two porters with a suggestion 'Saab, kuch nahi hoga, ye saala to kitne dino se yaha pada hai, koi doctor isse nahi dekhta.' I ignored him & first took the patient to the Emergency, there the doctor directed me to the Ortho Emergency. When I took the patient to the Ortho Emergency, a young doctor, immediately said 'Kaun Laya hai isse? Bahar Feko, isko, bahar feko. (Who's brought him in, just throw him out, throw him out). Then the porter pointed towards me & said, ye saab, iske saath hai. Then the doctor asked 'Tu kaun hai, aur iska kya lagta hai'? (Who, are you & what's your relation with him). I simply said, I am just trying to help him out, u are a doctor & he's a patient, please see him. To this, he reacted very sharply, aa jaate hai Gandhigiri Dikhane......Ja jaake iski patti karwa ke la. I then the patient to the dressing room. There also the 1st reaction was...who brought him here & throw him out. But my presence ensured that he got his wounds washed, sterilized & then dressing was done. Only the dressing up of his wounds took around 45min - 60 mins. I was now relaxed, thinking that now he'll get proper treatment. But I underestimated that doctor's ego. When I went back to him with the patient, he saw him & said...discharge him by the evening (it's already around 2pm then). I was surprised to hear that....I asked, how can you discharge him by evening, his bone is visible & wound is very deep. To that he said 'Doctor tu hai ki main hoon?...I said, you. then he said...to main keh raha hoon ki isse shaam ko discharge karna hai, ab chal hat, mujhe aur bhi kaam hai. I then said..i need a second opinion, he's laughed at me & said...ja jaake le aa second opinion.
I then asked the porter, about the name & office of the in-charge of Ortho department. He guided me to his office. I went straight to him & told the whole incidence & also told him that, I work with a Media Co. & if that patient doesn't get proper treatment I would call the Press here. He was a sensible person & immediately wrote a note on his letterhead, stating that the Patient should be admitted to the hospital immediately. When I went back with that note, the doctor had no option, but to admit him. I felt very relieved & I went back to the hospital after around 10 days, I was then informed that the patient got cured to certain level & one of his relatives came looking for him & he left.
Resources Used : Time [I just devoted few hours of a weekend] + Education [A dialogue in English (I am from a Media co.), which most of us normally use to save a challan from a Traffic Inspector]
What I got out of it : Peace of Mind. I felt good that I helped a person in saving his leg getting amputated.
Chained Kids :
This happened around a month back. I reached the bus stop to drop my kid, there I saw two boys of age around 12-13 yrs were chained & one person was beating them with a stick. I asked, what's the matter, why is he beating the kids? he 1st asked who am I & why am I asking this. I said, leave that, 1st tell me why you are doing this. Then he said that, these kids are thieves & they have stolen a Pan from the tea stall. I asked, whether he's seen them stealing the pan, he said, no. Then I asked, what proof he has that these kids are thieves & they are the ones who's stolen the pan. To which, he got furious & said, I am saying that they have stolen it & I am teaching them a lesson. 1st I told him that, OK lemme pay for the Pan & you leave the Kids, to which he refused. Then I said that, the way he's dealing with the kids is not right & he should call the police & let them deal with the kids as per Juvenile rules. He said, he won't call the police & if you wish, you call them, but I won't leave the kids. I then made a video of the whole incidence & called the police. The police came within 5 minutes & the policeman was a good person (exceptional case). He first got the Kids freed & then took the persons involved with him to the police station. Later I got to know that the two people, who were involved were left after a strong warning & the kids were freed.
Resources Used : Time & Education. I also wanted to help in the education of those kids. I am searching for some good NGOs, with whom I can associate & if I come across such things again I can ensure that such kids get some guidance for their future.
What I got out of it : Peace of Mind.
What I expect from the readers of this Blog : Pls share your feelings, in form of comments, incidences, Practical Solution to Daily Problems, Images, Videos etc. Maybe together we may create a force, which would make India a better place to live.
Man on Footpath
It's a lovely Friday morning & I was going to office. I saw an elderly man lying on the footpath at Nehru camp area on NH-24. I stopped the car and went to him, he was unconscious. I tried waking him up, he's not responding much. A few people started gathering, including two kids. I asked one boy to bring some water & fruits for the old man. After drinking some water he was able to respond, but he couldn't tell us any whereabouts of him. The people around told me that he's lying there of last 2-3 days. I tried searching his pockets for any contact no. or address but there's nothing. I just could know his name, which was tattooed on his arm, he was "Ramsen".
He's lying there for last 2-3 days & he must not have taken any food, he would have died lying there. I then called the ambulance by calling 102. I was pleasantly surprised by their service, they reached in 15 minutes flat. The ambulance then took Mr. Ramsen to LNJP hospital, they took my name & no. for their records.
What I Lost : 35 minutes, two phone calls, less than 50 rupees
What I got : LOTS n LOTS of Satisfaction
What I expect from the readers : All of us can afford to give few minutes of our precious time for similar such acts. But we choose to ignore, by giving lame excuses like :
- "We don't have time";
- "Saala pee ke pada hoga"
- "Police ka chakkad pad jayega" etc.
