Page 48 - Plasticos-Vol-3

and regularly by an appointed Committee sustained persistent effort. We must lobby
or group of colleagues entrusted with the with our Corporators, our MLAs and our MPs.
task. We must make enough of a nuisance of Are we prepared to treat this on a priority basis?
ourselves for them to sit up and take notice.
We must appoint and seek legal counsel
We must employ professional lobbyists to about our position and locus standi, its
do this for us since we are loath to take time strength and weakness vis-à-vis the current
out from our practices to pursue the matter. laws. Our Associations must file PILs and be
Therein comes the matter of “who will foot the co-respondents in cases where patients have
bill” and there is where it all goes haywire and suffered due to procedures done on them by
to pieces. Every time this matter has come unqualified personnel. Once again, all this
up and been suggested before the GBM of requires funds, one time and recurrently….so it
our Associations, the mention of money and must be in the nature of annual contributions
member contributions has been met with from members. This is easier said than
curious and uncomfortable silence. It is the done. We have to view this as a long-term
proverbial elephant in the room that no one campaign, as a mission to protect ourselves.
wants to talk about. We want change, we
want our rights, we are furious about losing
our bastions, but we want it to happen free
of cost…..free in terms of money, effort and
persistence. We point to the office-bearers
of the time to perform for us but we forget
that it is WE who make up the Association,
they are merely our representatives. It is
akin to the change we want to see in our
country….let it happen, it would be awesome
to see some change for the better, BUT….
we do not want to change ourselves or be
an active part of it. This lassitude has cost
us dearly in the past and will continue to
cost us, while we fret and fume impotently.

The law and the rules can only be modified
by our political masters and bureaucrats.
Unfortunately we as a specialty or even we as
an overall medical community are too few, too
disunited and too well educated (and hence
non-lumpen) to be a significant vote bank or
an adequate nuisance for the political class
to care. The more illustrious among us do
have patients or friends who are politicians
or bureaucrats connected to the issue. Every
time we happen to meet someone even
remotely influential or connected with the
issue at hand, we must be in their ears. Every
small bit of effort helps, but there must be

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