On last Thursday, an old lady patient, sitting in a wheelchair in front of the casualty ward at the district hospital, Mapusa, was asking for a cup of tea and biscuits with Rs 20 in her hand. She had been attempting for an hour as she was hungry since morning. She was requesting everyone, including nurses, ward attendants, security, the public, and hospital sweepers, but no one assisted her. One NGO member was laughing at her rather than helping her. Where was humanity at that time? The surprising part was that the NGO member was supposed to be known for voluntariness. The old patient was helpless. Finally, my brother, who was attending another patient, came out of casualty and delivered her tea and biscuits. But the role of that NGO member was ridiculous and irresponsible on her part. One of the sweepers told the patient that serving tea was not her job and that the authority would fire her. Is this humanity?
The NGO’s patient services are important because they improve patient satisfaction, lead to better clinical outcomes, and enhance overall healthcare quality by promoting trust, communication, and adherence to treatment plans. For patients, NGO or any human service ensures their comfort, dignity, and emotional well-being are considered alongside their physical health, creating a more positive and effective care experience. Attentive, compassionate, and personalised care encourages patients to participate in their recovery and follow treatment plans, leading to better health.
Timely human or NGO services ensure patients feel comfortable, respected, and treated with dignity, focusing on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. When patients feel heard and informed, they are more confident in their care, leading to greater engagement with their providers. A positive patient service experience builds trust, creating a safe environment where patients feel comfortable sharing their concerns and actively participating in their treatment.
Just to know the motive of NGO members in the hospitals, I emailed a query about the motive of NGOs in hospitals. Instead of informing me of the motive, however, I received a mail asking me to submit my contact number for a “debate”. No doubt, NGO members are doing good public jobs to serve patients, but some are showpiece NGO members, and pointing out these types of NGO members is the motive of this public letter. Finally, one should think of humanity. Motherhood is the characteristic of a good human being.
