A Truly Amazing Doctor
A Short Story
By Vaman Acharya
The patients gathered outside Sanjeevani clinic, Raghavpur at nine am and started a verbal conversation between them on who should meet the doctor first as there was no queue. One of them was a critical patient. They said with one voice that the critical patient should be allowed first for checkup. They also agreed to allow old age patients and women on priority.
The clinic was not open even after a delay of one hour. The compounder cum receptionist Raju arrived and opened the door. The patients started abusing him for the delay. Raju became upset and unable to convince the patients. He requested them to understand his problem. They sat on the benches without making noise. Raju tried to contact the doctor over the phone and didn't get any response.
Dr.Sumedh arrived at eleven am and called a critical patient inside. Raju had already prepared the list of patients in duplicate and kept one copy on the doctor's table and retained another copy with him.
The critical patient was examined by the doctor. The medicines were given and told him to lie down in another room for ten minutes.
The other patients were sent inside the doctor's room one after another. Doctor was calm and didn't lose his patience. The entire checkup process of all the patients was over in two hours. Serious patient had a smile on his face.
Nominal fees collected from the poor patients. But for the well-to -do patients, the fee was more. The sample tablets and liquid bottles given by the medical representatives of pharmaceutical companies for the promotion of their business were exclusively used for poor patients.
The doctor and compounder remained. Sumedh was relaxing on his revolving chair and told Raju not to disturb him. He was recollecting the past memories.
Sumedh was born and brought up in a poor family. His father was a school teacher and mother was doing petty business and visited door to door.
How did he become a poor man's doctor?
Soon after the completion of MD, one day, he went to Chakrapani hospital, one of the famous hospitals in Bengaluru as a patient without introducing himself. He was keenly observing the functioning of a busy doctor Dr. Chakrapani was a famous cardiologist in Bengaluru. Sumedh sat along with other patients waiting for his turn. A poor patient with a serious condition entered the doctor's room. At that time the doctor was attending to another patient. The entry of this poor patient angered the doctor. The patient requested with folded hands to the doctor to examine as his condition had become worse. It appears from his torn dress, the patient was poor. A staff member came and physically pulled out the poor patient outside. His condition was still deteriorating and died. Dr. Chakrapani became nervous and tried to save through his political connection.
There were a few poor patients, men, women and children seriously ill waiting outside the hospital. Sumedh out of curiosity asked the receptionist why these poor patients were being ill treated?
He was stunned to hear the reply. These poor patients had no money to pay consultation fees, buy required medicines. The doctor had given instructions orally not to allow poor patients inside without his permission. In spite of the refusal, somehow these patients enter the hospital. A similar incident happened to Sumedh's mom, when he was an eight year old boy. He was thinking seriously where these poor guys go?
He had tears in his eyes and took an oath to serve poor patients in his native place Raghavpur. Sumedh with the help of his friends was able to open a Sanjivani clinic on one auspicious day.
Ten successful years passed.
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the clinic, Tilak Raj, a centenarian and a retired major of the Indian army was the chief guest. In his speech he said, "the toughest and the most responsible job is to be a doctor. I am happy to know that Dr. Sumedh has treated more than one lac poor patients taking just rupees ten as his fees. He is truly an amazing doctor. Beautiful minds always inspire others. Let all other doctors follow the best example of Dr. Sumedh and his magnanimous approach towards the poor patients."
There was a clapping from the audience. The function was concluded with a brief speech by Dr. Sumedh.
Raju reminded the doctor,
"Sir, you have an appointment in Sagar Kiran hospital at 2 pm.
Dr. Sumedh came out of his memory and thanked Raju.
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