MY EXPERIENCE IN MY FIRST POSTING

MY EXPERIENCE IN MY FIRST POSTING

Dr. Gangadhar Sahoo

Just after I got the appointment letter in the 3rd week of July I had posted a letter to the Medical Officer (MO) in charge, Talpali PHC regarding my appointment and joining. I had requested him to arrange suitable accommodation for my stay. I had also intimated him in that letter that I would be joining on the 5th of August 1979. Again after a few days I had sent a reminder without expecting a reply. That happened. I arrived at Talpali on the 5th August and submitted my joining letter to Dr. Barik, the in charge MO.
After a break in the study from 1957 to 1979 the much awaited day of my life had arrived. The horrible experience of my 1st day of service had been described in the 1st episode of this series.  On the 6th morning I went directly to the OPD and sat there till Dr. Barik arrived after finishing his private practice. I wished him as usual. He introduced me to his staff that I was the 1st specialist doctor posted in that PHC. Since I was a gynecologist the expectation was very high. 
After a few minutes of discussion we had a cup of tea. I didn't tell him exactly what happened last night. But told him that a beast should not be treated like that. I enquired about my accommodation and specially the quarters of the 2nd MO. He told me that he had asked the clerk who had occupied those quarters to vacate but till date he had not. Then with a staff I went to see the condition of the quarters. I couldn't believe what I saw. The clerk had converted that quarters into a cow shed. Three cows with their calves had virtually occupied my quarters converting it to a compost pit. The boundary wall was broken, no electric connection, no white washing and the asbestos roof leaking. The tube well inside the boundary was not functioning. I cursed myself why I became a doctor. When I asked the clerk, the owner of my quarters then, when he would vacate that quarters and handover in a habitable condition, he expressed no guilt and very casually replied that he would see. I informed Dr. Barik and put forth my grievances to the MO with a copy to SDMO, Padampur  and CDMO, Sambalpur .
But no one paid any heed to my grievances. A health worker's quarters which was locked for a few years was temporarily allotted to me till my year marked quarters are handed over to me. One can feel the audacity of the clerk. Medical officer's quarters was converted to  a cow shed and the medical officer was adjusted in a temporary rest shed. Anyway I could get a roof under which I can live . What about food? Personally I was only trained in making a cup of coffee, only coffee nothing other than coffee. As good luck would have it , one senior health assistant Mr. Mandal, quite aged, staying alone  in the nearby quarters voluntarily agreed to help  me for lunch and dinner till an alternate arrangement was made. I arranged a tiffin carrier and he did the rest .Really a great help in a helpless situation ! A sigh of relief for me ! A few days passed with this temporary arrangement. I thought that two basic needs ,a roof and bread were solved . By that time I was mentally fatigued because, since my birth I had never faced such a precarious situation. For the first time I was fighting for food and shelter at the beginning of my career. So I took a few days  leave and came to Burla. Until that time I had not surrendered my hostel accommodation. I stayed in my room .With my friends I spent a few days, got refreshed and started back to my place of work .I came back to my work place with great enthusiasm and determination to serve the people. I was very sure that neither the clerk would vacate the quarters nor the MO could take legal action against the clerk. Before I had gone to Burla on leave, the health assistant Mr. Mandal used to send my meals in the tiffin box to my room daily on time . But on that day I saw my empty tiffin box kept in its place undisturbed. It was 1pm. I sent the OPD attendant to call Mr. Mandal.  He knew why I had called him. As soon as he entered, he started talking about his unwillingness to cook for me with the plea that his routine work was being hampered for which a show-cause notice was issued by the MO. He suggested that I employ a person/cook to help me, including cooking. Saying that  he left without bothering whether I had arranged my lunch or not.
I was surprised by his behavior and that too within a few days of my absence. I could smell the rat. The MO who was unable to vacate the unauthorized occupation by a clerk was issuing a  so-cause notice to a subordinate for no reason. His only fault was that he was supplying food on payment from his kitchen to me. I was really shocked to see the attitude of a senior doctor. 
    Somehow or other I managed. In that PHC the working pattern was very peculiar. The pharmacist was sitting in the OPD the MO in his residence. I sat in the OPD during the duty hours. No patient came to me. They were visiting either the pharmacist in the hospital or the MO in his residence. I was getting bored and therefore started reading my books lest I may forget the subjects. There, some of the staff suggested that I start private practice so that people will recognize me. There was "INJECTION MANIA" prevailing in the minds of the patients. Their superstition was that injections were true medicines . Without injection no disease would be cured. So the MO and the pharmacist were keeping three injections on their tables, one Terramycin (antibiotic) vial, one Analgin (analgesic) vial, and one B- complex (vitamin) vial . Any patient irrespective of their complaints, age and status were to receive one dose from each vial. That was the panacea for all diseases. They were over satisfied with the treatment and gladly were paying 2×3=6 rupees to the doctor/pharmacist. The rate was two rupees per prick . I felt it was undignified and unethical as well. How can there be a blanket treatment for all complaints? How can any clinical practitioner overlook the history taking, clinical examination and investigation before prescribing any medication? I felt really suffocated. In due course of time I was made unpopular and branded as  inefficient. There was a role of a few staff for that propaganda. The propaganda was," The doctor is afraid of giving injections because he is new." Yes, I admitted that. That's my inefficiency to do unethical practice. But I did not succumb. 
That  type of uneasy time was aggravating day by day. One day I got an order from the CDMO, Sambalpur to undergo a training course for a month at the family planning training center, Sambalpur. My joy rose leaps and bounds and crossed all boundaries because at least there would be a break of my mental fatigue for a month.
In this anecdote what was my fault?
Was it that I was a specialist doctor which hurt the ego of the MO in charge? 
Was I not authorized to have a habitable shed to live in?
Was not the MO in charge a party to unauthorized occupation of my year marked quarters by the clerk, working under him.
Was not it undignified to convert a medical officer's quarters to a cow shed? 
Was it not intentional to serve show cause notice to a staff member who was just providing me food? 
Was the private practice during duty hours ethical? 
Was it not quackery to give a blanket therapy of three injections to each and every patient? 
Yes, I had gone through one of the worst periods of life. I had suffered, mentally, physically and professionally. With patience and tolerance I had adjusted to the prevailing circumstances. 
Pray Lord Jagannath, “Lt any other physician not face such a situation in his/her life.”             

Prof Gangadhar Sahoo is a well-known Gynaecologist. He is a columnist and an astute Academician. He was the Professor and HOD of O&G Department of VSS MEDICAL COLLEGE, Burla.He is at present occupying the prestigious post of DEAN, IMS & SUM HOSPITAL, BHUBANESWAR and the National Vice President of ISOPARB (INDIAN SOCIETY OF PERINATOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY). He has been awarded the BEST TEACHER AWARD of VSS MEDICAL COLLEGE,BURLA in 2013. He has contributed CHAPTERS in 13 books and more than 100 Scientific Articles in State, National and International Journals of high repute. He is a National Faculty in National Level and delivered more than 200 Lectures in Scientific Conventions.He was adjudged the BEST NATIONAL SPEAKER in ISOPARB NATIONAL CONVENTION in 2016.