Vaidyo Naryano Harih
“Vaidyo Narayano Hari”
sharire jarjarI bhute vyadhi graste kalebare
When the body is suffering/beset with the disease, Medicine is like the sacred water of Ganga. The doctor (Vaidya) is none other than the Supreme God Sri Mannarayana, who is Dhanvanthari rupi Paramatma.
aushadham jaanhavItoyam vaidyo narayano harih
It is believed that many chant this while taking Medicine and also while sipping the tirtha at temples.
Doctors are always kept on a high pedestal in our society and considered as God transcending in the form of a doctor to treat the person. National Doctors Day is celebrated on July 1 (started from 1991) to honour the doctors and physicians for their omen service rendered to humanity.
In the current times of the health pandemic caused by COVID, all of us realise the importance of the doctors, health workers and their commitment to providing health care more than ever. COVID pandemic affected people are varying, and with the signs of the second wave, subsiding appearing the fear of the third is threatening. It would likely continue for some time to come. Hospitals getting crowded large number of people seeking help. It has never been more important to appreciate the efforts of doctors.
National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on July 1 to honour and recognise great physician Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy (known popularly as BC Roy). Incidentally, July 1 happened to be both the birth and death anniversary of BC Roy. Dr BC Roy is often described as the Dhanvantari of the modern era. It is reported that he is one of the few people in history to have obtained FRCS and MRCP (Membership of Royal Colleges of Physicians of UK) degrees simultaneously. He served as the second Chief Minister of West Bengal. Dr Roy was honoured with the country’s highest civilian award, “Bharat Ratna”. Dr BC Roy National Award is a prestigious award the physicians aspire to be bestowed on.
We must pay tribute to our doctors, who ensured that India did not succumb to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Narendra Modi
PM of India
There is a total of 12,01,354 allopathic and 7.88 lakhs AYUSH doctors in the country. The ratio of 1.848 compared to what is prescribed by WHO of 1:1000. While the average is good, but disparities amongst the states and urban & Rural is disheartening. According to WHO guidelines, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Punjab, Gujarat, J&K have more than one doctor per 1000. States like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Orissa have the least number of doctors available. The north-eastern states have a lot of catch up to do. While the cities have more than the required number of physicians, few 100 kilometres away from the cities, the number decreases alarmingly. At the same time, the government is making concerted efforts to enhance and support the health care system in rural India, much more to be done. Worldwide, the country with the highest value globally is Cuba, with a value of 8.19. India 0.778, China: 1.786, Russia: 4.014 US: 2.595. These data are likely to be referring to allopathic doctors.
Doctor’s Day is observed on different dates across the world. In the US, it is on March 30 and Australia, December 3 in Cuba, March 4 in Nepal.
Doctors are unique, and the health pandemic brought to the fore, they are our real-life heroes. Doctor’s Day is an opportunity to thank all the heroes in the medical fraternity for their selfless contributions.
The presence of the doctor
is the beginning of the cure.
“Vaidyo Narayano Hari”
Toons: Reema Jaiswal
Logs: Sai Baba
*A Toonlog on the topic was posted in 2020: National Doctor’s Day
