I believe that every profession is governed by professional ethics. I being an Engineer have given till date utmost importance to professional ethics and therefore credentials of my profession is held very high. I am aware that Medical profession has in fact a subject called Medical Ethics which is a part of Medical Curriculum, but to my surprise the professional ethics of doctors has become a questionable issue today.
For the last two years what I have experienced regarding my husband Dr. S M Bandekar shook my belief about doctors ethical behaviour. It was somewhere in April 2013 the most committed, hardworking and honest professor of the department of Orthopedics (my husband) was suspended, without any enquiry only through word of mouth and some false allegations by some of the doctors lobbying against him who themselves were involved in extensive private practices and all kinds of activities. However subsequently after two years truth prevailed and the said professor is back with his glory of which I was very confident and today very proud of him.
I believe, being a doctor is a very noble profession and all the people in the society will definately join me in saying so. Hence, I feel doctors should be more committed to the patients and their noble work, instead of becoming political icons, indulging in non-ethical practices in destroying each other for mere financial gains and mere designations.
Had it been the unity of all the senior professors in Goa Medical College, the government would not suspend the dedicated surgeon Dr. S M Bandekar, instead it was observed that certain doctors/professors/junior doctors were keen on taking advantage of this situation and aspiring the chair. I am a responsible citizen too and I know that suspension involves administrative procedures and it cannot be fancy of certain people with vested interest, due to which many Goan patients were made to suffer at the orthopaedic department of Goa Medical College. Competent doctors are the need of the society and also to Goa Medical College. The said professor had many lucrative offers but for his commitment he continued to serve the Apex institute of this state for the benefit of poor patients who could not afford costly orthopedic operations in many of the corporate hospitals. Thus the government has its duty to uphold the credibility of such dedicated doctors, especially in a government run hospital.
I strongly believe the members of this noble profession as well as other citizens holding high posts should rise above any differences including caste, creed and religion and unite together to make it a real noble profession. I would like to thank all the people who stood by us and believed in us as I knew from day one that truth would prevail.
Sadhana Bandekar, Bambolim
