It was a high-level meeting of a committee comprising top cardiologists, administrators and officials, discussing strategies to improve care of patients with major heart disease in the country. The meeting ended up with plans to have more cardiac cath labs, intensive care units, hi-tech interventions and staff training; sadly no one talked about prevention of a disease that can be kept at bay if measures are adopted early — on an average, a decade before it manifests. I feebly suggested a few preventive strategies, with hardly any impact. People, awe-struck with advances in technology, big data and balance sheets, were already packing their files, closing laptops and putting left-over peppermints into their pockets. I prayed that the policy-makers answer my prayers — maybe, some day.
Vaccines, hand sanitation, nutritious food, regular exercise, all are meant for the same result: maintaining good health and prevent diseases.
But the high-level meeting discussing “preventive medical strategy for 2020” strangely ended up with handshakes (now namaste courtesy corona) and dates for the next meeting; and nobody believes that we are doing anything worthwhile. The first thing in a preventive strategy is the belief that the strategy will work.
A society that doesn’t believe in a strategy (for instance, vaccination) is unlikely to benefit from it. The main challenge in preventive medical strategy is its acceptance. A person suffering from a splitting headache or an unbearable chest pain is likely to land up in the hospital emergency room, even if he hates a hospital (most of us do) or doesn’t believe in modern medicine. But decision to vaccinate a child, check blood cholesterol or following a healthy lifestyle needs acceptance; a conscious and voluntary decision. A sick patient, with no belief in modern medicine, has a high chance of ending up in hospital, often resulting from the collective decision of more informed neighbours or relatives to rush him or her there.
But for a healthy man to adopt preventive steps, the stock answer will be “I am so busy”, “I don’t have time”, or “I would think about it”.
With all the hi-tech medical advances, scans and biomarkers at our disposal, we have failed to impress the people at large on our commitment to impart preventive health care. It is our fault; you and me included.
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