In today’s era, when pollution levels have reached dangerous heights and the adulteration of food items has led to a surge in diseases, the importance of doctors and medical assistance has grown immensely. A doctor is considered a second incarnation of God for a patient and their family. People come to them with hopes of life and good health. In a developing and densely populated country like India, there is a great need for affordable and effective healthcare services. Our country is primarily a nation of villages, where many people still live below the poverty line. In this era of inflation, even middle-class families find it challenging to bear the cost of quality healthcare services. A few days ago, I read the story of the highly respected and dedicated Dr. A.K. Rairu Gopal from Kunnur city in Kerala, who has now passed away. He was known in the region as the “Two-Rupee Doctor.” Dr. Gopal served people until the age of 80 and left behind a legacy of selflessness and compassion. 
For nearly 50 years, he treated patients by charging only two rupees as his fee. His services were accessible to the poor and marginalized sections of society, and he treated over 1.8 million people. Dr. Gopal was honored by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) as the best family doctor in Kerala. The Chief Minister of Kerala paid tribute to Dr. Gopal, calling him the “People’s Doctor.” Dr. Gopal would begin seeing patients at 3 a.m. so that poor daily wage earners and students would not face disruptions in their daily routines. When a patient visits a doctor, their eyes reflect helplessness and despair, but also a glimmer of hope.
Providing relief to a sick or suffering person is perhaps the greatest act of virtue. Here, I would like to mention an incident related to India’s former President and renowned scientist, Bharat Ratna Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He observed children afflicted with polio using heavy and uncomfortable artificial calipers made of steel and wood. At that time, Dr. Kalam was the Director of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL). He initiated a plan with his team to design calipers that were lightweight, strong, and durable. 
Thanks to his efforts, prosthetic limbs weighing only 400 grams were developed, which were significantly cheaper than traditional assistive devices. When asked about the greatest joy in his life, Dr. Kalam replied that seeing children smile after wearing lightweight prosthetics was true “happiness.” Dr. Kalam played a pivotal role in strengthening the country’s defense infrastructure, led major scientific and research institutions, earned the title of “Missile Man,” and served as the President of India. Yet, for him, the most joyful moments were seeing smiles on the faces of polio-affected children.
The medical profession in our country is increasingly becoming commercialized. Today, it is often seen as a lucrative business rather than a service-oriented profession. Parents, at any cost, want to see their children become doctors, and both fair and unfair means are being used to achieve this goal. The incidents of NEET paper leaks in recent years are a clear example of this blind race. 
Medical education is extremely expensive, beyond the reach of middle-class families. There is a shortage of well-trained doctors relative to our country’s population. As a result, high-quality healthcare services are very costly. Given India’s large population and widespread poverty, there is a greater need for affordable and accessible medical services rather than palatial hospitals.
Nowadays, we read and hear news of patients being exploited. This is largely true. Massive, palace-like hospitals are being built today, and their maintenance costs millions every month. To cover these expenses, various unethical practices are adopted. Deals are struck with diagnostic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. Government hospital doctors either work part-time in private hospitals or leave their government jobs to open their own private hospitals. This is a very unfortunate trend, especially in a country like India, where the majority belongs to the poor class.
However, this is a harsh truth, but thousands of doctors in government hospitals are still dedicated to their profession with commitment and selflessness. If we talk about PGIMER in Chandigarh, the doctors working here possess international-level qualifications. They work with a spirit of dedication, and people have faith in them, which is why patients come from far-off states for treatment. For patients and their families, doctors are truly a second incarnation of God.

—Davinder Kumar