Dr Subbu’s View on Kolkata Brutal Incident to our fellow Indian Doctor

Kolkata is considered to be the safest city for women in India. If a heinous crime of such proportion happens in one of the government hospitals, we need to sit back and think deeply about the reasons for this. While working for Derek O'Brien (Quizmaster) I visited Kolkata few times a year. I consider Kolkata as the cultural capital of India with so much respect given to women everywhere.

In Management Science, there is a concept of systems thinking. The organization is a part of complex interlinked and interlocked systems and processes. Any weak link in the chain can bring down the whole system. This is what has happened. I will not be surprised if the Supreme Court of India asks the Bengal government to close down the hospital. 

What are the key important interlocked links that led to such heinous crime and murder of young lady doctor?

1. There is a huge pressure on government hospitals where the quality of services is reasonably good. Poor people and the lower middle class prefer to go to such hospitals where they can afford medical treatment. People are working as touts or agents in these hospitals to make patients avail of such services. The lack of good government hospitals has led to this situation. We need investment in building new hospitals and expanding the existing ones to eliminate touts and agents. Computerised system may also help a bit.

2. The man who perpetrated the heinous crime was working as a civic volunteer of Kolkata Police. These volunteers are foot soldiers of the ruling party whichever party is in power. We need more police force in all government buildings and the streets, particularly women police personnel. A CISF-like force at the state level is required. There is no need for civic volunteers. An airport-like security system is required in all such places. Private five-star hospitals like Apollo or Medanta have such security drills. 

3. All state and central governments need to fill up the vacancies of doctors in the government hospitals. There is lot pressure of Resident and junior doctors to hold the fort. They are over worked. Doctors working for 12 hours and more not are not good to deliver quality medical service.

4. Junior or resident doctors are not given proper place to do work, study and research. Construction of cabins require more investment.

5. The police force and intelligence wing could not assess situation where 100 criminals can vandalise government property and the police force remains a mute spectator.

6. Political and Police authorities have failed to discharge their duty to shore up the morale of the doctors particularly lady doctors. 

7. Protesting doctors should be treated with respect and their fears should be assuaged both by the state and the central government.

8. It is now up to CBI and Supreme court to mete out justice to a young idealistic doctor from lower middle-class background.

9. Without taking concrete actions, the same situation will get repeated somewhere.

My views might not be yours; you can share your thoughts. We need to push our policy makers and politicians (irrespective of the party) through our discussions and deliberations. Instead of initiating a blame-game, let’s put our hands together to brainstorm for a societal solution.

What’s your take?

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Dr. M. Subramanian
Director – MBA Program
PhD (Finance),FDPM (IIM-A), MBA, MFC
Fin-Tech, Blockchain & Analytics

Visit : www.rlims.ac.in