- There is a reason why the field of medicine is held in extremely high esteem and regards as it is the only profession that comes anywhere closer to the Almighty for their inherent sheer ability to help save or give birth to humankind. Humanity sustains through their efforts would not be out of place to state. Highly trained professional doctors and nurses command immense respect, adulation, affection, and gratitude from fellow human beings for undertaking such humongous responsibilities with elan. The raging pandemic brought to the fore yet again how precious healthcare professionals can be to humanity.
PC: I Stockphoto
- Thousands of professionals have/continue to render yeomen services and are rightfully branded as healthcare warriors by the grateful country. In the Indian context, the inadequacy of the healthcare infrastructure was also laid bare during the pandemic. Rather than concentrate on further strengthening the healthcare infrastructure, especially the medical education scenario, efforts are underway to latch onto a seemingly irrelevant issue. As you are aware, it is widely reported in the newspapers that the undergraduate board of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has decided to replace the Hippocratic Oath in medical colleges with the Charak Shapath from the new academic session.
- The Hippocratic Oath is a worldwide rite of passage for medical students in modern medicine, notwithstanding intense debates in certain circles about its relevance today. Moreover, as per the medical professionals, it is nowhere mentioned as Hippocratic Oath per se in the rulebook governing the profession. Be as it is, the tone and tenor of the oath whether Hippocratic or Charak Shapath always enjoins medical practitioners to put patients first, respect their privacy, and practice with the best of judgment. Coming back to the subject, those in favor of Charak Shapath argue that India has its own rich heritage in medicine and therefore borrowing an oath with roots in ancient Greece doesn’t make sense.
PC: Sylvia Morris, M.D.
- Looking from any angle, it hardly makes any difference which oath is administered. Besides, it’s not as if switching oaths will magically transform medical education in India. Remember, NMC came into being in 2020 after replacing the utterly discredited Medical Council of India and the interim Board of Governors. The NMC’s stated mandate includes improving access to quality medical education and ensuring the availability of adequate medical professionals. Where do we stand on this front? Needless to mention, the shortage of medical professionals in the country remains chronic. The 15th Finance Commission report of last year mentions that every allopathic doctor in India caters to 1,511 people as opposed to the WHO norm of 1:1,000.
- Not only that the shortage of trained nurses is worse with the ratio standing at 1:670 against the WHO norm of 1:300. Inarguably, the NMC’s efforts should be directed at improving these numbers either by indigenization or mainstreaming alternative/indigenous medical systems. Therefore, NMC’s mandate will be better served by boosting actual medical infrastructure in the country. In conclusion, the type of oath administered to medical students is irrelevant, but the emphasis should be on the type of medical education that goes a long way in serving the interests of the nation.
