Will this ever happen in India?

I'm a bit late with this post, but never mind...

Here is a list of articles that I found in one of the leading Journal in medicine "The Lancet" has published

1. The Democrats' turn to lead.
- Published in 2006, the paper talks of the Democrats Health care initiatives such as offering tax credits and about the negotiations of drug prices with pharmaceutical companies etc.

2. Democratic victory could fire up health policy debates
- Published in 2006, the paper talks of issues the author hopes will be addressed by the U. S Congress like the expansion of stem cell research, pharmaceutical drug pricing, and health information technology.

I wonder, when we will ever have such debates and discussions? All we do during election season is talk about "Modi's diversionary politics", "Sonia Gandhi accused Modi..." and the likes.

Thankfully people do write about this too

3. India's health sector responds to new corruption charges

- Published in 2008, the article discusses how a World Bank investigation uncovered fraud and corruption in five of its Indian health projects. The World Bank found that many of the corrupt practices were related to procurement and included bid-rigging, bid manipulation, and bribery. Action taken was that GOI will now include the UN Office for Project Services for procurement for World Bank-funded health projects and a promise to strengthen transparency through the Right to Information Act.

Alas, the authors are not Indian's! (Let me point out here that I have not read the 3rd article completely, since the paper is not yet online. But that does not matter now. )

Though the third article is no big news (for most Indians and me, especially since I have a had long discussions on the disappearance of IFA tablets during RCH I), the point still remains: there are people out there who care about these things.

However, 'mundane' these issues might be, the erudite world still bothers. During the RCH I, everybody in the health sector spoke of the unavailability of the IFA tablets, but nobody, mind you, nobody bothered to write even a page on it (not that I know of at least). Alas!

And in the research world, people crib - "We don't have enough publications!"

Are we lazy?

No. I think not. We just dont know that every small issue is a matter important enough to be published and discussed.

Struggling to find time

All the time in the world and not a nanosecond to spare!

I've been working even on weekends since the last two weeks, analysing (or at least trying to analyse) data. Alas, the data is not as simple as one would think. Numbers are easy to analyse, but words...? I have been trying to analyse some interviews, and you have to trust me when I say that it is no simple undemanding task. These interviews lasted for an average of an hour and half which means the transcripts and an average 25 pages long. Reading one transcript (sincerely and critically) takes an average two hours. But analysing such 7 transcripts? Phew...

Tell me tell you what analysing means. Analysing reading and re-reading the transcripts thoroughly, putting the issues raised in several boxes, shifting to and fro between each respondent on each of the topics, then re-reading it all again so that you do not miss out an important link, then start writing (typing) each of these neatly.

And once you write, the Prof will say; "How about looking at the issue in this way". Huh?

All the weeks work goes down the drain.

Thank God, he gave man the brains to invent the Computer. Thank God someone had the brains to come up with WORD. And above all, thank God someone came up with QSR7 Nvivo! Else where would I be.... finding my way in the labyrinth of data!

Urico-tale-ic

Very often I find myself leaving my room half an hour before so I can walk down to office. Today was one such auspicious occasion. There were thoughts buzzing like bees around me. I was thinking about the days work. About those transcripts that were waiting for me. I had to call my mother. I had to mail a friend. If anyone could see these thoughts they probably would see a hallow around me that would make me look like a savant. That apart, I was wearing this bright yellow and red shirt that read ‘Hare Ram Hare Krishna’. I was in bright spirits when suddenly ‘phat’! Some bird peed on me! Oh sheesh…

I tried tidying it up using the perfect paraphernalia - a dry leaf. It was perfect because it would not really spoil any more of my belongings. I mean, for Pete’s sake, wasn’t my shirt was enough! I sat all day, grumbling about it, trying to do my work, cribbing again about the birds, trying to concentrate… All in all I was touchy the whole day especially with the smell of urea, albeit a different one.

By noon my colleagues were tired of my constant bickering. And suddenly, Neha tells me “Hey you know it’s a sign of luck? Something really good is going to happen.” Really! I wanted to ask her who is the lucky one, me or Lord Rama since I was wearing a shirt that had his incantations. And if it was Lord Rama, I am sure he didn’t need any. But I chose to leave it at that and said nothing. And then Dipti says, “Was it a crow?” Huh? Isn’t a ‘bird’ enough? I just say “I don’t know and I don’t care”. “Because the crow is the luckiest” she tells me. Now, the discussion was getting to sacrosanct for me to tolerate…. And quiet honestly, if I wanted even an iota of luck, I would stand under the trees day in and day out and wait for the birds to pee on me!

Just then Lady Luck came calling, “Did you finish the transcript?” my boss had called up.

“Sir, I did about 40 minutes and I am left with another 30 minutes or so.” I answer knowing that I am lying through my teeth. I had finished 27 minutes of transcription and still had lots more to do.

“Can you finish it by today?” he asked.

“Umm…I’ll try, but I am sure I will comfortably finish it off by tomorrow evening.” I find myself lying even more.

I walked out for some fresh air.

The sky suddenly turned acid green. And in the uricotelic environs, I was pealing more onions.

Mirkwood was smiling...