Medicine was once regarded as a noble profession where trust mattered more than transactions. Today, increasingly, patients walk into hospitals wondering whether they are entering a healing institution—or a marketplace. These are not imaginary stories. These are incidents many of us have witnessed, experienced, or heard directly from colleagues and patients. One of my friends needed cataract surgery. He consulted a renowned ophthalmologist in Punjab after hearing glowing recommendations.
The process itself was exhausting: Registration Examination by one junior doctor Redirected to another chamber Re-examined again Sent to a third chamber Three hours of waiting. One hour of examinations. Finally, the senior surgeon arrived. The discussion quickly shifted from medicine to pricing. The patient was told: A “simple” lens would cost ₹25,000 A “better” lens ₹40,000 The “best imported” lens…