It was a very tiring day. I went to bed at about 11 45 and slept off immediately. I had to get up at 4 45 next day to be able to go to the gym. At about 12 15 I was woken up by the shrill ringing of my mobile phone. I picked up the call almost immediately
The caller, obviously a lady was inconsolably crying. I was surprised but all the same decided to continue the call as the caller was obviously in distress. After a while of sobbing and actual crying, the caller introduced herself as a PG in Pediatrics. A baby had died in the ICU of her institution and the relatives were threatening to manhandle her and her co PG both ladies in the first year of training. Obviously it was the wrong call. I am heading the department of Medicine at a different institution. The first thought was to say so and softly encourage her to call her HOD. I asked her whether the higher authorities have been informed. She replied saying that she tried to but they refused to take any responsibility saying that only imparting education was their responsibility. I immediately understood the seriousness of the situation. I surmised that the person must have saved the number as HOD and dialed it. Still it beat me why she dialed me! By the time she realized that I was not the person she wanted to speak to and promptly disconnected. I tried calling her back and she did not pick the call.
I like mysteries - I always liked to read the novels based on mystery. I always thought that the problem can be solved by logical thinking and action. Now I got an opportunity to put these into action. The number, named of the caller and the institution were the only leads available. Were they enough to solve the puzzle at the dead of the night? Was I justified in helping a PG from another institution? I have 2 daughters who are doing their higher medical training at different institutes. I would have appreciated someone going out of the way to help them. Then I should also do the same!
I had to some quick thinking. Maximum number of the seats this time went to PG s from Andhra. So, logically no harm thinking that this girl is also from Andhra. I have always found PG s from Andhra quite resourceful and closely knit. So I decided t wake up an Andhra PG and gave him the number and name of the PG and the institution. To the credit of all Andhra boys, they tracked the identity of the person in next 15 minutes! The phone belonged to one of the PG s from our institutes who had stored my number as HOD. He gave the phone to his wife who was working in that institution and in turn, she had lent it to her friend during the hours of duty. This solved the mystery why she had called me.
Then came the appropriate action. The PG whose wife was having the mobile went to the spot. He was surprised by what he saw. The ladies were hiding inside a small room in ICU. There was a commotion outside the ICU. It was pathetic to see that the management security or the police did not take it seriously. The doctor who went successfully escorted the lady PG s out of the ICU and took them to a safe place.
This case is another eye opener. Do we have to wait for something to happen before helping the ladies in distress? Where is the chivalry? It is nauseating to see the people not even doing their own duty for which they are regularly paid. I feel only making people liable for their inaction will be a good answer. There should be stiff fines based on the duration of inaction. Repeated offences should lead to successive demotions and dismissal altogether after the last possible demotion.
The caller, obviously a lady was inconsolably crying. I was surprised but all the same decided to continue the call as the caller was obviously in distress. After a while of sobbing and actual crying, the caller introduced herself as a PG in Pediatrics. A baby had died in the ICU of her institution and the relatives were threatening to manhandle her and her co PG both ladies in the first year of training. Obviously it was the wrong call. I am heading the department of Medicine at a different institution. The first thought was to say so and softly encourage her to call her HOD. I asked her whether the higher authorities have been informed. She replied saying that she tried to but they refused to take any responsibility saying that only imparting education was their responsibility. I immediately understood the seriousness of the situation. I surmised that the person must have saved the number as HOD and dialed it. Still it beat me why she dialed me! By the time she realized that I was not the person she wanted to speak to and promptly disconnected. I tried calling her back and she did not pick the call.
I like mysteries - I always liked to read the novels based on mystery. I always thought that the problem can be solved by logical thinking and action. Now I got an opportunity to put these into action. The number, named of the caller and the institution were the only leads available. Were they enough to solve the puzzle at the dead of the night? Was I justified in helping a PG from another institution? I have 2 daughters who are doing their higher medical training at different institutes. I would have appreciated someone going out of the way to help them. Then I should also do the same!
I had to some quick thinking. Maximum number of the seats this time went to PG s from Andhra. So, logically no harm thinking that this girl is also from Andhra. I have always found PG s from Andhra quite resourceful and closely knit. So I decided t wake up an Andhra PG and gave him the number and name of the PG and the institution. To the credit of all Andhra boys, they tracked the identity of the person in next 15 minutes! The phone belonged to one of the PG s from our institutes who had stored my number as HOD. He gave the phone to his wife who was working in that institution and in turn, she had lent it to her friend during the hours of duty. This solved the mystery why she had called me.
Then came the appropriate action. The PG whose wife was having the mobile went to the spot. He was surprised by what he saw. The ladies were hiding inside a small room in ICU. There was a commotion outside the ICU. It was pathetic to see that the management security or the police did not take it seriously. The doctor who went successfully escorted the lady PG s out of the ICU and took them to a safe place.
This case is another eye opener. Do we have to wait for something to happen before helping the ladies in distress? Where is the chivalry? It is nauseating to see the people not even doing their own duty for which they are regularly paid. I feel only making people liable for their inaction will be a good answer. There should be stiff fines based on the duration of inaction. Repeated offences should lead to successive demotions and dismissal altogether after the last possible demotion.
Very sad incident indeed, In medicine especially when we handle sick cases we can never predict an outcome
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