The dark side of medicine

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. | Martin Luther King, Jr.

- DR ISHQ PRAMCHAND

WE MOURN the passing of a colleague, Dr A Mazwi, an intern medical doctor who lost his life at work owing to brutal working conditions and a destructive medical hierarchy.

His death was tragic and preventable. The craft of medicine embodies a core set of principles including, but not limited to, compassion, humanity and empathy, with the ultimate objective of healing the sick.

Attaining optimal health requires a deep holistic understanding of the patient in his context, accounting for spheres of life extending beyond the physical, including psychological, social, cultural and spiritual. That is what makes us human.

I am, therefore, deeply disturbed by the current events which shake the medical community, if not the world. A doctor has died owing to a system which does not protect the psychological safety of its employees, especially juniors. Seniors often approach juniors in the workplace in a manner which echoes a lack of respect, empathy and accountability, propagating a destructive cycle, with devastating consequences.

Mazwi, who was critically ill at the time, was denied his sick leave and was, nevertheless, instructed by his consultant to arrive at work and complete his daily duties. His health status continued to deteriorate throughout his shift, exacerbated by his working conditions, and he allegedly collapsed on duty at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital. He did not recover.

Similarly, three other healthcare professionals recently lost their lives in incidents at different hospitals. How many more must it take?