India's bid to create a "first world-like" health regulatory mechanism despite having "third world-like" infrastructure is the cause behind the crisis in the country's healthcare, eminent cardiac surgeon Devi Shetty said here today.
"India's trying for a first world-like health regulatory mechanism with third world-like infrastructure is the cause behind the crisis in Indian healthcare," he said at the 18th Sir Ganga Ram Oration at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here.
He said that every day, litigations are filed in various courts against medical professionals and medical institutions and doctors as well as hospitals are being attacked, but "we can't even file a case".
"What has gone wrong with our healthcare scenario?" he asked.
According to Shetty, who is the chairman and founder of Narayana Health, one reason for the rising number of medical litigation is perhaps that more lawyers are now interested in making an earning through these litigations.
"Very shortly, a day will come when, instead of patients, lawyers are going to sue doctors. The law enforcement agencies also want to regulate doctors' fees and procedures. We have no problems in that, but the same should also be applicable to other professionals, like chartered accountants, lawyers and engineers. There should be a cap on medical compensation like in other countries," he said.
