Saturday, May 28, 2011

Lack of Privacy: Rajinikanth shifts to Singapore Hospital!




Rajinikanth Admitted to Singapore's Top Hospital

Singapore, May 28 (PTI): Tamil superstar Rajinikanth has been admitted to Singapore's top hospital, the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, according to medical sources.
The 61-year-old actor arrived here today with his wife and two daughters after he was discharged from a Chennai hospital where he spent two weeks being treated for respiratory problems.
He is now at the Mount Elizabeth centre which is considered one of the best hospitals in Asia. However the hospital has refused to comment on Rajinikanth's health saying that it was not obliged to disclose the identity of its patients when they request complete privacy.

Celebrities and even common man has no privacy at Indian hospitals. Details of admission, ailment, medication used, treatment done are routinely divulged to the lay press. Even photography of patients inside private areas/ ultra clean zones (!)  of hospital are routinely permitted. Publicity hungry hospitals, doctors, ignorant mediamen, mediamen with "freedom of the press" are to be blamed for this menace. 

However good the medical care may be, if it lacks respect for patients dignity & privacy, it has no meaning. A major hospital in New Delhi lost its JCI certification for divulging a patients lab report...A bangalore hospitals divulges MRI report of a film star...CNN IBN flashes the MRI images of Gautam Gambhirs shoulder...now it is the turn of Rajinikanth...fearing invasion of privacy, he has chosen Mt Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore. Shame on Indian healthcare system...which can`t ensure a basic right of the patient...that is Privacy.