COMMUNICATION

                                    I have learnt a lot about public health in the past 3 years. In these 3 years I have grown as a person. I had to unlearn and relearn a lot of things. It has been a beautiful journey which is going to end with my final exams. Just done with my theory papers waiting to give my practical exams. I have no idea about the results ( pass or fail - I will accept it as they come ) but I feel privileged even to have attempted these 4 theory papers. Writing those theory papers was a way of communicating what I know about public health.
                                   Writing is one beautiful way of communicating. Your thoughts get a solid form and a structure. This reminds me of one Saturday seminar we had in our college. Community Medicine residents from all the Mumbai colleges were attending. It was one of the ways of networking with other college residents. Normally we have these university seminars in our seminar room - room 110. This is our seminar room cum lunch room cum PG activity room cum chilling room cum gossipping room cum studying room. Our entire PG life is spent in this one room ( thankfully it has A.C. ). But this time the seminar took place in our museum which is a bigger place. Our Maam had fun activity plans for us. The seminar was going to be on the topic of communication.
                                 There were around 25 to 30 students. She made us stand in one line from 1 corner of the room to the other end. Only if there was AC in the museum. But we played along. Guess what she made us play. ......................CHINESE WHISPERS......hahahhahaha......Such an old childhood game. But we enjoyed it. And when we heard what the last person said out loud of what the original sentence was we had huge fit of laughter. Even after a long time it was hilarious to play that game.
                             Why did she make us do that? Communication is a very important aspect of public health. All the health professionals need to communicate health related knowledge to the lay people in a correct way. Otherwise we wont be laughing like we did after the end of Chinese whispers.
In 2017 the WHO theme was Depression: Let's talk! Like writing talking also gives us a way of venting out our thoughts and help us clear our mind. All this is super. Easy to understand. But does this happen in actual reality?
                            There was a girl who was trying to communicate what she was going through. To her parents ,her colleagues, her husband and everyone around her. And she was a doctor........And she was facing atrocities and harrassment from her seniors. She was under unimaginable stress. What could she do ? The one and only thing that could help her was her own way of communicating that she needed help.But she lost her life.........Was she weak ? Was she that fragile ? Did she not value something as precious as her own life? NO ....She wanted to be free. Why ? ...........Because noone was listening.....She tried to communicate but in vain. If someone would have listened to her and helped her , not only her life but the lives of hundreds other patient that would have been treated by her would be saved. But these are only IFs and Buts.............We communicate to help others and when 1 doctor needs help.............WHO IS LISTENING ? AND IF NOBODY IS LISTENING WHY THE FUCK ARE WE EVEN TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO COMMUNICATE?

p.s. Pardon my language but #sorrynotsorry #neverbeennormal