So, naturally, it was shocking to know that, a few days ago , the resident medical officer of the Kamala Nehru Hospital, R.Bhosale, came in an inebriated manner and took official rounds. Thankfully, he was suspended since such behaviour is indeed outrageous, but the bad news is, apparently, this is not a flash in the pan. The alcohol addiction amongst doctors, that is.

Dr.Kalyan Gangwal, well-know cardiologist and social crusader for the gutka anti-addiction movement reveals that ``About five to six days back, there was a ``bucket party'' (wherein all kinds of hard liquor is emptied into a bucket and diluted by the required amount of water) amongst the resident doctors of the Sassoon General Hospital. A couple of them were so dead drunk, that I had to admonish them the next day.''

Is the medical world rotating around the powerful multi-national pharmaceutical industry? I have no proof, but glimpses of such a possibility are reflected in the brazen and aggressive marketing strategies of drug companies, who endeavour to appease the doctors, by hook or by crook, confirm medical experts. And one of the clever ways to win their hearts is through their stomach....feed them with the best of food and serve them with unending flow of liquor.

Dr. Gangwal, is distressed at the growing alcohol addiction of medical doctors in the city. States he, ``I'm worried about the increasing alcoholism amongst medicos. I personally know a few senior consultants attached to renowned hospitals and a couple of leading general practitioners downtown who actually consume hard liquor during duty hours. The reason behind this increasing alcoholism is the aggressive marketing of the pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs. For this, they throw lavish parties at leading five star hotels in Pune, at least once a week. These evening parties comprise booze that flows like water besides sumptuous food and I'm a witness to this trend. Recently, at one such party, two doctors were so drunk, that they had to be physically carried back home. Everyone has a right to his private life, no doubt, but it is the brazen marketing strategies of the pharmaceutical companies that is making them into addicts, that is seeping into the duty hours as well.''

A distressed Gangwal states that ``Sometimes, if not often, medicos, influenced by kickbacks to the tune of 25 to 30 per cent, prescribe a drug of a particular company, occasionally even when it is not really required. The pre-cursor to such an attitude is the merry-making, courtesy the drug companies. It is not only the senior consultants who are invited for such parties, but the drug companies even tempt junior doctors who they know are the ones that dish out prescriptions, when senior doctors are not around. For them, there's a special treatment. Crates of liquor are brought to the doctors quarters in the hospital premises. And some do not respect duty hours, when it comes to this.''

Not all medical experts though agree with Gangwal. Says Dr. Jagdish Hiremath, leading heart specialist, ``Doctors should be completely free of alcohol during duty hours, no doubt about that. But why only doctors, alcohol addiction is a general social menace. I don't think the trend of alcoholism is increasing amongst the medicos. In fact, the younger generation doctors are more health-conscious and less addicted to smoking and drinking. Also, the dinner parties are a conclusion to an academic and scientific seminar.''

Dr.R.J.Kinikar too feels the same. He says,'' In fact I find that young doctors are very health conscious and when they have an operation ahead then they just have their food and go - they don't drink. However, so many drug companies have mushroomed, that they compete to sell their drugs to the medical fraternity by indulging them with such parties has become a general trend.''

But boy, imagine having your doc smelling of alcohol, when you count on him as God, at that crucial moment?