Scribbles

Photo: Chris Hinn "Several years into my practice as a physician at my own private clinic, my father was diagnosed with a chronic illness. I could not afford the treatment or the medicines. I had a hard time coping up with the rising cost. So, hoping that government subsidies will be able to help my situation, I applied to join the public health sector. The whole ordeal really made me reflect my role as a doctor, and the patients I should really be serving,” recalled Dr Rajesh Bhadoria.   Dr Rajesh is the officer in charge at the District Drug Warehouse (DDW) in Badi, Udaipur. He oversees the flag bearer DDW branch of Rajasthan’s free medicine scheme in the region. For the last five years, he and his team have been making sure that benefits of the free medicine scheme reach the people of Udaipur fully. The DDW is located about fifteen kilometers away from the main city of Udaipur, laced with vast and fresh water lakes of Fateh Sagar and Pichola along the way.

"We, as a free people", wrote late Serbain American playwright Steve Teisch "have freely decided that we want to live in some post-truth world" in an essay in the Nation magazine in 1992. The essay was in the context of the Iran -Contra scandal and the Persian Gulf War. The author would not have even the faintest idea that almost twenty-five years later Oxford dictionary, on November 12, 2016 will make ‘post-truth' the word of the year. 'Post' here doesn't mean ‘after' but suggests to the time when truth becomes insignificant and irrelevant. Thanks to Brexit and the results of US Presidential elections –this failed media prophets and others in the field of psephology. However, had Oxford University paid heed to the India around and from 2014, the word Post-truth would have found its place a few years ago only! In 2014, Media machinery projected a man who hitherto was nowhere in the picture, as the "leader", the country needed on it

What happens when the processed food replaces the fresh food in the shelves of our kitchen, snacks become the part of the staple diet and the food regulatory authority in the country remains ineffective and toothless? This gives the companies more ways of escaping the responsible business and aids them to remain indifferent towards the health hazards their products pose to the consumers. "Food is becoming the cause of diseases in a country which was once had the reputation of undernourished and we need to pay attention to the trend", said Ms. Sunita Narain , Director Centre for Environment and Science while addressing the audience in the hall comprising of journalists, Health experts, Doctors and people from food companies. She was addressing the group at the Workshop on Food Labeling, Claims, and Advertisements. While complaining about the ineffective laws relating to the food regulations in the country, she said: "Food Safety and Standards Authority of I

"World needs Revolution" we used to say when in College, while responding  to the question what does world need today when the global peace is threatened, poverty and inequality are on the rise? But do we really need revolution? Or we need to address the basic needs of the people? I have just come back from a journalism workshop in Rajasthan; where team was suppose to cover various aspects of free medicine scheme of the government. Teams went to cover Udaipur, Bikaner, Bhaswara, Jaipur and Chittorgarh. The scheme incubated in 2012 under Mr Ashok Gehlot government, emerged out of will to provide free medical care to the people who are deprived of the access health care facilities because of their socio economic status. Dr Shamit Sharma, then District collector, was moved when his maid's son died because she could not afford the medicine prescribed by the doctor .This incident acted as the seedling for the free medicine scheme. Rest as they say is history. In the mont

Last Laugh: USA win customary gold lead, read Express headline .Below the headline, there was medal tally in which USA was at top with total of 119 medals and India stands 67 with meager count of two. Discouraging and disappointing way to begin morning! In college in few of our social development classes we discussed sports as one of the indicators for the development of any country. The medal tally tells why all the developed countries take away the medals. They must have re alized years ago what we are to understand and realize as yet. Sports add value to the human existence. It teaches us the importance of discipline, keeping body active, doing physical labour, embracing losses and knowing what it takes to win. It's while sweating in field we learn team spirit the best. But in our country parents still tell young ones, "don't play you would get hurt", Indians are afraid of getting hurt a lot; they play safe without taking enough risks and challenging

We were not taught (told) history as it was. History lessons dealt with dates and events only, history was always about kings,wars,victories and so called larger than life things. We were just told who ruled us,for how long.We never came to know about common man's life,may be it was not worth writing or documenting(it is still not worth it,only politicians make news). History books never had chapters of North East India and its contrib ution to Indian freedom struggle.Conflict regions' making and history was never made available rather they were just called resource abundant regions. Rise of right wing (radicalisation)doesn't find mention either. History books have been agents of lies and deception. History writing is often used as tool by state to deceive it's citizens,so that the truth and facts never come out. Whether it's America,India or Pakistan,their school history lessons are self congratulatory. Currently state is busy in bringing 'In