Today, Monday April 7, is World Health Day and this year, the theme, the World Health organization (WHO) says, is awareness and prevention of vector-borne disease. While the WHO issue is one thing, it is an apt time really, to focus on the doctor-patient relationship which seems to be deteriorating since the past few years. In recent years especially, we see that hospitals, doctors and allied medical personnel have been accused in sexual molestation cases, which is simply terrible for the image of medical care institutions. This has led to a steady erosion of trust by the common man and the sacred doctor-patient relationship.

Today, if parents of girls are wary of sending their daughter to see a doctor alone, or if women themselves fear molestation in a hospital or a clinic of all institutions, a place where people go to be healed, it is a sad commentary on our times.