46 Empowerment

The Bee and Jupiter: When a Queen Bee presented Jupiter with some fresh honey, he promised to give her anything she wished for. The bee asked for stinging power to all the bees to punish men who robbed them of their honey. Jupiter loved human beings and was displeased at this request from the queen bee. However, he kept his word and gave the bees their stings. However the sting was of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man, the sting breaks off and the bee dies.

Health and consumer activists were dissatisfied with the exploitative health care practice and campaigned for some power to bring the care providers to the Law and get quick redressal. Many countries passed consumer protection laws to empower health care seekers. Soon it was apparent that many cases were foisted on the doctors to harass or blackmail them. So a penalty clause was addedthat the appellant will be fined heavily for any abuse of power to seek redressal and for lodging frivolous complaints.

Comments

Power and responsibility should always go hand in hand. Power without responsibility corrupts. Responsibility without power renders one vulnerable and defensive. Both the care seekers and providers should have responsibilities with rights and power with accountability. Activists beware! "Defensive medicine" practised by insecure physicians is the worst thing that can happen to the quality of health care in India. Every concerned citizen must ensure that it does not happen (see Chapter 28).

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