July 1 is the birth and death anniversary of former chief minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy.

Dr. Amit Ghose , Chairperson-Emeritus, Health Committee, the Bengal Chamber, Jawhar Sircar, former Culture Secretary, government of India and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Editor, Economic and Political Weekly were present at the discussion.

Dr. Ghose said he feels India is racing towards top rankers in the world presently.

But at the same time certain unpleasant developments have cropped up in this sector that has badly shaken the people’s trust and faith in medical services and doctors. Where there was once blind faith and respect has now given way to an atmosphere mired with doubts and suspicion. Even aspiring students wishing once to take up this field have now started rethinking alternate career in the wake of recent violence and turbulences, he added.

Sircar opined that there was a failure in the system that was put forward in the past. There has to be transparency, self regulating system, intervention of paramedics to ease off load from the medical establishments.

Patients’s  families should be aware of the costing that has been involved, he added.

Speaking about the profession, the former culture secretary said: "History of humanity is a history of reason over passion-to work towards a consensus of conflicting views. The medical profession is a very honoured one. People look up to the very name of this profession. So that needs to be kept up."

“Faith of a patient on a doctor cannot be compared to any other relationship” stated Mr. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Editor, Economic and Political Weekly.