Politics and medicine are inextricable – Lesson to be learned from Israeli doctors

Right-wing leader Benjamin  Netanyahu has a government in Israel.  This government took the step of removing crucial powers of the Supreme Court in Israel.  Accordingly, the authority of the Israeli Supreme Court to stop the government’s arbitrariness was reduced. In a sense, it can be said that the wings of the Israeli Supreme Court were clipped.  Against this, the Israeli public has taken to the streets in protest.

The doctors in Israel did not remain silent while the Israeli public was engaged in this struggle.  The Israeli doctors realised that if the extreme right forces are strangling democracy in this way, the consequences can be on the overall social health, political democracy and even the patient care itself.

Israeli Doctors Association took to the streets and challenged Israeli right-wing forces.  On July 24, the Israeli government took such an anti-democratic step and on July 25, all Israeli doctors called a nationwide strike against it…..!

The Israeli doctors through their actions have made this point very clear that politics and medicine are inextricable.

The Israeli doctor has shown that nothing is indivisible from overall politics.

It can be said that this is an important lesson for us. The doctors who take apolitik stance that we have nothing to do with politics and by that they actually strengthen the established political class. It should be noted that every action is a political action.

It begs the question of whether the largest association of doctors in India, for example, the Indian Medical Association, has the courage to take such a stand.

The point is that politics is omnipresent and it has good or bad effects on every part of society, so Israeli doctors have taught doctors around the world how important it is to be aware of politics and to stand up for democracy at the right time.

A heartfelt salute to the Israeli Doctors Association, which has the courage to go into action mode and take a clear stance on the overall social and political affairs and stand up for democracy as a whole….!

By

Dr.Sanjay Dabhade, Professor of Pharmacology

Pune,

9823529505

sanjayaadim@gmail.com

Ref:

• BMJ -4 th August 2023.  Israel – Doctors strike to protest against judicial overhaul.

• The Lancet, 5th August 2023. Israeli doctors vow to continue protest

Source: TheJerusalemPost-Image