Binayak Sen: A Victim of an Unfair Trial

I simply cannot understand why Binayak Sen is back behind the brutal bars again. Yesterday afternoon a session court at Raipur found him guilty of sedition and treason and sentenced him to life in prison. Those who love and admire Binayak were shocked to know that such a distinguished ethicist, pediatrician, human right activist and … Read the essay

Ignorance or Ineptitude

Every Wednesday morning, physicians and medical residents in my department gather in the seminar room to discuss morbidity and mortality data of the previous week. Our residents tell us how many patients were admitted to our wards, how long did they stay, how many went home and how many couldn’t. A resident tells a story … Read the essay

CT in a Village

Very soon, our teaching hospital, located in a village in central India, shall use a new computed tomography (CT) equipment for obtaining high-quality radiologic images. The previous CT scanner- it had served us well for 10 years – was living a borrowed life. The hospital, therefore decided to invest into a new CT scanner. The … Read the essay

On Missing Malaria

Parsimonious. My teachers taught me this principle at the bedside during my residency. A single diagnosis should explain all symptoms and signs whenever possible. That was in 1980. Physicians relied on their brains and stethoscopes. They took detailed histories, examined patients thoroughly, ordered few tests, discussed differentials, and took pride in getting the diagnosis right. … Read the essay