Journey from irresponsibility to indifference

The collective virtues of nations determine their destiny. If a nation believes in the value of time and hard work, then surely success is its destiny. If a nation is inclined towards innovation and invention, it creates something new.

If we talk about Japan, the value of time in Japan is a national virtue and a sense of responsibility and hard work is characteristic of the Japanese nation. And thanks to these three qualities, despite being a small country, Japan today provides its goods and services to the major countries of the world. Many countries are entirely indebted to Japan.

Pakistan, unfortunately, also has many collective virtues. We are collectively reckless and irresponsible and this journey that started from recklessness has reached the point of indifference, leaving behind the stages of irresponsibility. Individually and collectively, the Pakistani nation has been extremely careless and irresponsible. This can also be gauged from the irresponsible statements of politicians in the upper house. We can never be a good nation without giving up irresponsible and careless behavior.

Recently, I visited a government hospital in Gujarat. The hospital is named after Major Raja Aziz Bhatti, who received Nishan-e-Haider, and is the largest hospital in Kasab district. Reports claimed that the government hospital serves 5 million people and the Chaudhry brothers, influential Punjab politicians, live near this hospital.

Upon entering the hospital, I realized that I might be in a wrecked building. Seeing the dilapidated condition of this hospital, I thought that this may be an abandoned building that was closed by the government as a national heritage. There were piles of garbage everywhere.

When I arrived at the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital, I was surprised that people were roaming around in the ICU freely. There were only two nurses present in the ICU, one of whom was looking at some equipment and the other was entering something in the register. When asked about the doctor, people informed that doctors barely visit the hospital.

My relative’s baby needed a ventilator, but the hospital administration said that there was no ventilator in the hospital. The baby was being given artificial respiration, we were advised to take the baby to another hospital and then we found out that even the ambulance did not have oxygen facilities. The transfer of the child to another hospital was a big risk and unfortunately, the child died a few hours later.

In this regard, I was compelled to think that due to the indifference of the doctors and medical staff, how many children in this hospital would die. The political leaders who decide our destiny claimed to bring change and who live a few kilometers away from this hospital may not even know what is happening here.

The purpose of this column is not to criticize the government but to cover the indifference of the doctors. Perhaps it is the indifference of the staff that if there were no equipment and ventilators and other facilities, they would not have demanded it. If a sense of responsibility is created in our society, problems can be solved despite limited resources.

We cannot expect anything from the government or institutions unless we become responsible citizens or responsible employees, doctors, or engineers and have a sense of belonging to others. We must first change our collective approach and become responsible and sensible citizens.