The recent judgement by the US Supreme Court that overturned Roe vs Wade, has been called an abortion ban — by the main stream media, while the truth is a little more nuanced. Nevertheless it is a stark reminder that some of the most intimate healthcare decisions in the US are fraught with political and religious connotations.
Now compare this to India, which recently increased the legally permissible timeframe for abortions. We are not as rich as the US. Our medical landscape isn’t always great — riddled with quacks , corruption and even violence. However, no political or religious considerations are forced into our treatment decisions , by the state. We follow evidence based medicine, at least when the resources permit. There is no such thing as “politics based medicine” in India.
No one, comes between us and our patients.
Princess Diana , when asked about her marriage, quipped “It’s too crowded here, since there are three people in our marriage” referring to Camilla Parker Bowles. The US style PBM (politics based medicine) is ‘crowded’ — the doctor, the patient and the politicians between them. There are many problems in our healthcare — but bitter partisanship isn’t one among them.
There are many silver linings in Indian healthcare. If only our public could see them , they will realize that our medicine isn’t perfect — but at least it isn’t contaminated by politics.
